Pablo Escobar's wild animals are wreaking havoc in South America, in more ways than one 🦛
timeout.com/news/did-you-k…
timeout.com/news/did-you-k…
The ‘cocaine hippos’ got their name because they were brought to Colombia by drug lord Pablo Escobar.
In the late 1970s he smuggled four hippos to his private estate near Puerto Triunfo. They were intended purely to entertain; Escobar also collected bison, ostriches and goats
In the late 1970s he smuggled four hippos to his private estate near Puerto Triunfo. They were intended purely to entertain; Escobar also collected bison, ostriches and goats
When Escobar died in 1993, the hippos were deemed too difficult to seize and transport, so they were left to roam the Magdalena River, Colombia’s main waterway.
As of 2019, there are thought to be 80 to 100 of them spread across a range of 2,250 square kilometres
As of 2019, there are thought to be 80 to 100 of them spread across a range of 2,250 square kilometres
The hippos are wreaking havoc on local biodiversity.
The animals can cause greater amounts of toxic algae, and their faeces has been killing fish species. And they pose a threat to humans: in Africa hippos kill up to 500 people a year
The animals can cause greater amounts of toxic algae, and their faeces has been killing fish species. And they pose a threat to humans: in Africa hippos kill up to 500 people a year
And the situation could get even worse. The hippos have been able to reproduce exceptionally rapidly because they don’t have any effective predators in their new habitat.
Nor are there yearly droughts to keep populations down. Soon, they could number well over 1,000
Nor are there yearly droughts to keep populations down. Soon, they could number well over 1,000
The Colombian authorities are now faced with trying to reduce the hippo population.
But, there’s another bizarre twist. In October, a US court ruled that the ‘cocaine hippos’ are legally people, in an attempt to stop the Colombian government from killing them
But, there’s another bizarre twist. In October, a US court ruled that the ‘cocaine hippos’ are legally people, in an attempt to stop the Colombian government from killing them
Instead, local environmental conservationists have settled on a mass sterilisation campaign.
But hippos have a typical life expectancy of 40 to 50 years, so don’t worry about the descendants of Escobar’s prize quartet. They’re likely to be around for a good while yet
But hippos have a typical life expectancy of 40 to 50 years, so don’t worry about the descendants of Escobar’s prize quartet. They’re likely to be around for a good while yet
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