Colombian officials have authorised a plan to cull dozens of hippos descended from animals brought to the country in the 1980s by the drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, after the feral beasts displaced native species and threatened local villagers.
The environment minister, Irene Vélez, said the decision was reached because other methods to control the hippo population had been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez stated that up to 80 hippos would be affected, but did not specify when the hunting would begin. “If we don’t do this we will not be able to control the population,” she said. “We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.”
Colombia is the only country outside Africa with a wild hippo population, which descends entirely from four individuals imported by Escobar in the 1980s for his private zoo at Hacienda Nápoles. A study from the National University estimated about 170 hippos were roaming freely in 2022, and they have recently been spotted more than 100km north of the ranch.
Environmental authorities say the large mammals pose a threat to villagers who encounter them in farms and rivers, and compete for food and space with local species such as river manatees. Despite the ecological challenges, the hippos have become a tourist attraction, with residents offering spotting tours and selling souvenirs.
Animal welfare activists have opposed the cull. Senator Andrea Padilla, a leading animal rights campaigner, described it as a “cruel” decision and accused officials of taking the easy way out. “Killings and massacres will never be acceptable,” she wrote on social media, calling the hippos “victims of the negligence” of government entities.
Over the past 12 years, Colombia attempted to neuter some hippos but efforts were limited due to high costs and the danger of capturing the animals. Returning them to Africa is unfeasible because of their limited gene pool and potential diseases.
