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Escobar's Hippos: What Will be The Fate of These Animals?
The Future of Escobar's Hippos: Sterilization, Relocation, or Extinction?
Reading time : 1 minute,
Discovery Chepe Id-461-ECO
Published in
09-30-2024
In the 1980s, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, eager to build a personal paradise on his Hacienda Nápoles, decided to import a variety of exotic animals. Among them, four hippos: one male and three females. These African giants were acquired from a zoo in the United States and brought to Colombia to add to the drug lord's peculiar collection.
A private zoo:
"Hacienda Napoles" became a private zoo, where elephants, giraffes, zebras and other exotic animals lived alongside hippos. Escobar sought to create a space of ostentation and power, where he could display his wealth and eccentricity.
The legacy:
After Escobar's death in 1993, the hacienda was abandoned and many of the animals were sold or released. However, the hippos, due to their size and specific needs, could not be relocated. Over time, they adapted to the Colombian environment and began to reproduce.
Escobar's Hippos: A Growing Threat to Colombia's Ecosystem

Photo: Luisito Comunica Youtube Channel
An invasive species:
Today, the hippopotamus population in Colombia has multiplied and has become an invasive species. These animals, having no natural predators in the region, compete for resources with native fauna, alter aquatic ecosystems and can transmit diseases.
Currently in the Magdalena River basin, specifically in the area of ??Puerto Triunfo (Antioquia), lives the population of hippopotamuses that descend from the animals that Pablo Escobar brought to his Nápoles estate. These animals have adapted to the new environment and have reproduced significantly, and the damage is considerable in terms of the ecosystems of the region:
Competition for resources: Being herbivores and consuming large amounts of vegetation, hippos compete with other native species for food, reducing the availability of resources for other animals.
Spread of diseases: These mammals can be carriers of zoonotic diseases, that is, diseases that can be transmitted to other animals and humans.
Risk for communities: Hippos are large animals and can be aggressive, especially when they feel threatened. This represents a risk for people who live near their habitats.
Impact on fishing: The presence of hippos affects water quality and the availability of fish, which negatively impacts the fishing activity of local communities.
The situation of Escobar's hippos in Colombia is complex and has generated intense debate about the best strategies to manage this invasive species. Currently, there is no single, definitive solution, and plans are constantly changing and adjusting. For example, several of these animals have already been sterilized in recent months and years, and some others have been euthanized by the Colombian authorities.
However, some of the main proposals and actions that have been proposed include:
Sterilization: One of the most common strategies is to capture the hippos and sterilize them to prevent the population from continuing to grow. This measure has been implemented with some success, but it is expensive and requires significant resources.
Relocation: Another option is to capture the hippos and move them to other locations, such as zoos or sanctuaries. However, this alternative presents several challenges, such as finding suitable places to receive these animals and ensuring their well-being.
Population control: More drastic population control methods have been considered, such as selective hunting. However, this option is highly controversial and generates a great deal of ethical debate.
Confinement: Creating delimited areas to confine hippos and prevent them from dispersing over a larger area has been proposed. This measure could be a short-term solution, but it does not solve the underlying problem.
The challenges facing these proposals are multiple:
Cost: Actions to control the hippo population are expensive and require significant investment by the government and non-governmental organizations.
Logistics: Capturing and transporting these large animals is a complex and logistically difficult task.
Social acceptance: The different proposals generate debates and divisions in society, since each one has different ethical and environmental implications.
Adaptation: Hippos have adapted very well to the Colombian environment, so controlling their population is a constant challenge.
It is important to note that:
There is no quick or easy solution. Management of the Escobar hippos requires a comprehensive and long-term approach.
The final decision must be based on scientific and technical criteria, as well as on a broad social consensus. Biodiversity conservation and animal welfare must be priorities in any action plan. In summary, the situation of the Escobar hippos is an example of the challenges posed by the introduction of exotic species into an ecosystem. The search for a balanced and sustainable solution is a complex process that requires the collaboration of scientists, authorities, non-governmental organizations and society in general.
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