In a controversial ruling, Colombian judges have ordered the execution of Pablo Escobar’s herd of ‘cocaine’ hippos.
The ‘out of control’ animals, originally part of the cartel kingpin’s private menagerie at his Hacienda Nápoles estate, escaped after his death in 1993 and have since multiplied into a massive invasive population.
When Escobar was killed in a police shootout in Medellin, authorities left behind four hippos, deeming them too difficult to seize or relocate.
By 2007, those original animals had grown into a herd of 16, wandering the nearby Magdalena River in search of food.
Over the years, the unchecked breeding of the hippos has resulted in numbers increasing to around 200, causing significant ecological disruption, threatening local wildlife and landscapes.
In a controversial ruling, Colombian judges have ordered the execution of Pablo Escobar’s herd of “cocaine” hippos
When Escobar (pictured) was killed in a police shootout in Medellin in 1993, authorities left behind four hippos, deeming them too difficult to seize – but numbers have spiralled
Now, Administrative Court judges in Cundinamarca have ruled that the state’s Environment Ministry must begin culling the animals within three months, as reported by the Sun.
Experts have warned that the hippo population could balloon to over 1,000 if left unchecked, raising concerns about the risk to human life and local species.
Fishermen on the Magdalena River have already reported attacks, with locals branding the species as ‘unpredictable’ and ‘aggressive’, saying the best course of action if you come across one is to simply hide.
Meanwhile, experts fear that the hippos could also pose a dire threat to endangered manatee populations.
Environmental legal expert Juan Pablo Sarmient emphasised the urgency of the situation, stating: ‘The discussion on what to do with invasive species is a global problem.
‘However, due to the time that hippos have been in Colombia, it has become a situation that cannot be prolonged any longer.
He added that such decisions must be made to ‘eradicate’ an invasive species before its effect on the environment becomes ‘unmanageable.’
Francisco Sánchez, an environmental official, echoed these concerns, previously telling The Guardian: ‘They’ll get all the way to the sea, because they will just follow the Magdalena River. It’s completely out of control.’
Scientists have raised alarms about the impact of their waste on local waterways, as a single hippo can produce up to 20 pounds of excrement daily.
People pose for pictures at the entrance of the Hacienda Napoles theme park, once the private zoo of drug kingpin Pablo Escobar at his Napoles ranch
Experts have warned that the hippo population could balloon to over 1,000 if left unchecked, raising concerns about the risk to human life and local species
Scientists have raised alarms about the impact of their waste on local waterways, as a single hippo can produce up to 20 pounds of excrement daily
While in Africa, hippo waste plays a key role in sustaining ecosystems, Colombia’s flora and fauna are unable to process it, potentially causing significant harm to native species, including fish populations.
Previous efforts to control the hippo population through sterilisation and relocation have had limited success.
Some wildlife groups have even proposed transporting the herd to Mexico as an alternative to culling.
Despite the court’s ruling, debate continues over how to handle the invasive hippo population, with conservationists and environmentalists calling for humane and scientifically backed solutions to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, a safari park visitor in Indonesia has been ‘urged to make a public apology’ after he risked killing a hippo by throwing a plastic bag into its mouth.
A shocking video clip showed the Taman safari park tourist appearing to dangle a carrot near the hippo’s open mouth before chucking the bag into it instead.
