Colombian Court Orders Culling of Pablo Escobar’s Hippos

Hippos introduced to Colombia by the cause kingpin Pablo Escobar indispensable beryllium hunted, a Colombian tribunal said past week.

Escobar brought the hippopotami to Colombia arsenic additions to his backstage zoo. When Colombian constabulary killed Escobar successful 1993, his estate—including his menagerie—was seized, and his animals were distributed to zoos. Escobar’s 4 hippos were near alone—authorities deemed the animals cumbersome to seizure and they were assumed a non-issue.

But the animals started breeding, expanding their footprint to the situation beyond Escobar’s aged estate, an country with plentifulness of vegetation and nary a predator. Now, implicit 100 of the animals roam the country, vexing locals and perchance threatening different taxon successful the area.

In 2021, a section tribunal ruled the four-legged heavyweights should beryllium sterilized, alternatively than euthanized. That task had been proceeding slowly, though past twelvemonth plans developed to euthanize immoderate of the animals. The much caller determination by the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca gave the Ministry of Environment 3 months to present “a regularisation that contemplates measures for the eradication of the species” successful the area, AFP reports.

According to Smithsonian, determination are present at slightest 169 of the hippos roaming astir Colombia. Hippos are famously dangerous; they tin measurement up to 5 tons and measurement 16.5 feet (5 meters) long, and tin unfastened their almighty jaws up to 150 degrees, according to the African Wildlife Federation. They are one of nature’s deadliest animals, and determination person been reports of fishers being attacked connected the Magdalena River successful occidental Colombia.

According to an AFP study past year, experts judge the hippo colonisation could emergence to 1,000 individuals by 2035 if thing is done. Alternative proposals—transferring astir 70 animals to sanctuaries successful countries including Mexico and India—have not gone anywhere.

Proponents of carnal rights entity to the hunting plans, arsenic bash immoderate radical affiliated with the tourism industry. Escobar’s legacy—including the two-ton behemoths roaming the country of his estate—continues to gully visitors to the state each year.

Hippos tin beryllium unsafe but they’re inactive successful request of conservation. Pygmy hippopotami, for example, are endangered, which is wherefore a baby calved astatine a Czech zoo past twelvemonth made specified a large splash.

Though nary fatal encounters betwixt hippos and humans person occurred successful Colombia, incidents are increasing, Smithsonian reported. One peculiarly alarming incidental occurred erstwhile a hippo made its mode into a schoolyard, sending teachers and students scattering.

Exactly however the bequest of Escobar shakes retired remains to beryllium seen, but 1 information is clear: something’s got to beryllium done astir these hippos.