Colombian officials have authorised a plan to cull up to 80 hippos descended from animals brought to the country by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said the decision was reached because the feral beasts pose a threat to native species and local villagers, and other population control methods have been expensive and unsuccessful.
Colombia is the only country outside Africa with a wild hippo population, all descended from four individuals imported by Escobar for his private zoo at Hacienda Nápoles, a ranch in the Magdalena River valley. A 2022 study by Colombia's National University estimated about 170 hippos were roaming freely, with some now spotted over 100km north of the ranch.
Environmental authorities say the large mammals compete for food and space with local species such as river manatees, and pose a danger to villagers who encounter them on farms and in rivers. Previous attempts to neuter or relocate the animals have been limited due to high costs and the difficulty of capturing dangerous hippos.
The hippos have become a tourist attraction, with locals offering hippo-spotting tours and selling souvenirs. However, animal welfare activists oppose the cull. Senator Andrea Padilla, who helped draft a law against bullfights, described the plan as 'cruel' and said the animals are victims of government negligence.
Returning the hippos to Africa is unfeasible due to their limited gene pool and potential diseases. Vélez said up to 80 hippos will be affected, but did not specify when the hunting would begin.
