{"id":1881173,"date":"2026-04-14T07:13:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:13:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1881173"},"modified":"2026-04-14T07:13:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T04:13:46","slug":"colombia-debates-future-of-escobars-hippos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1881173","title":{"rendered":"Colombia debates future of Escobar’s hippos"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/64871198_6.jpg”]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5C7L5<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
Authorities say the herd of ‘cocaine hippos’ first brought in by drug lord Pablo Escobar are an invasive species.Image: Juancho Torres\/AA\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

The Colombian<\/a> government authorized plans on Monday to cull up to 80 free-roaming hippopotamuses that scientists say are threatening local communities and ecosystems.<\/p>\n

The animals displace native species and disrupt fragile habitats, according to environmental experts. Colombia\u2019s hippos descend from four animals illegally imported in the 1980s by drug lord Pablo Escobar for his private zoo.<\/p>\n

Why Colombia says it needs to reduce the hippopotamus population<\/h2>\n

“We must act to reduce the hippopotamus population,”\u00a0Environment Minister Irene Velez Torres told journalists on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Authorities say the large mammals\u00a0pose a danger to villagers<\/a> who have\u00a0encountered\u00a0them on farms and in rivers in central Colombia. The animals\u00a0also compete for food and habitat<\/a>\u00a0with native\u00a0species such as river manatees.<\/p>\n

“These\u00a0actions are essential \u200cto protect our ecosystems and our native\u00a0species,” Velez added.<\/p>\n

In the absence\u00a0of\u00a0natural predators, the hippo population has grown unchecked.<\/p>\n

An estimated 200\u00a0currently roam freely the Magdalena River basin. Without intervention, their numbers could rise to around 1,000 by 2035, according to the Environment Ministry.<\/p>\n

The program announced on Monday\u00a0has a budget of 7.2 billion\u00a0pesos (\u20ac1.68\u00a0million). Proposed measures include\u00a0confinement and\u00a0relocation and are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n

\n

Colombia debates future of Escobar’s hippos<\/h2>\n

Animal welfare groups oppose killing the hippos<\/h2>\n

Animal welfare activists argue that the hippos deserve to live. They say that addressing the problem through killing sets a poor example for a country that has experienced decades of internal conflict.<\/p>\n

Andrea Padilla, a\u00a0senator\u00a0and animal rights advocate,\u00a0described the plan to cull the hippos as a \u201ccruel\u201d decision.\u00a0\u00a0The lawmaker, who helped draft legislation banning bullfights in Colombia, accused government officials of choosing\u00a0the “easy way\u00a0out.”<\/p>\n

\u201cKillings and massacres will never be acceptable,”\u00a0Padilla wrote on X. \u201cThese are healthy creatures who are victims of the negligence\u00a0of government entities.”<\/p>\n

Environment Minister\u00a0Velez said\u00a0previous\u00a0methods to control the hippo\u00a0population had\u00a0been expensive and unsuccessful.\u00a0In 2022 and 2023, steps were taken\u00a0to relocate and sterlize<\/a> the herd, but they produced no tangible results.<\/p>\n

For months, Colombia held\u00a0talks with eight\u00a0governments, including India and\u00a0Mexico,\u00a0to \u2060possiblytransfer\u00a0some of the animals to zoos or\u00a0sanctuaries abroad<\/a>. No authorizations have been granted so far, the minister said.<\/p>\n

Officials say such transfers are unlikely. The herd suffers from genetic defects caused by inbreeding within a limited gene pool. For the same reason, returning the animals to their native habitat in Africa has been deemed unfeasible.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar’s legacy<\/h2>\n

Pablo Escobar built a private zoo<\/a> at Hacienda Napoles, a huge ranch in the Magdalena River valley that he used as his countryside home and landing strip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After Escobar was killed by security forces in 1993, his\u00a0confiscated properties were converted into\u00a0a theme park, featuring swimming spools, water slides and a zoo.\u00a0The descendants of Escobar\u2019s hippos have since become one of the park\u2019s main attractions.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug trafficker who led the Medell\u00edn Cartel in the 1980s. He became one of the richest criminals in history by controlling much of the cocaine trade to the United States and was notorious for extreme violence, corruption and a lavish lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Rob Turner<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

\n

The Colombian<\/a> government authorized plans on Monday to cull up to 80 free-roaming hippopotamuses that scientists say are threatening local communities and ecosystems.<\/p>\n

The animals displace native species and disrupt fragile habitats, according to environmental experts. Colombia\u2019s hippos descend from four animals illegally imported in the 1980s by drug lord Pablo Escobar for his private zoo.<\/p>\n

Why Colombia says it needs to reduce the hippopotamus population<\/h2>\n

“We must act to reduce the hippopotamus population,”\u00a0Environment Minister Irene Velez Torres told journalists on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Authorities say the large mammals\u00a0pose a danger to villagers<\/a> who have\u00a0encountered\u00a0them on farms and in rivers in central Colombia. The animals\u00a0also compete for food and habitat<\/a>\u00a0with native\u00a0species such as river manatees.<\/p>\n

“These\u00a0actions are essential \u200cto protect our ecosystems and our native\u00a0species,” Velez added.<\/p>\n

In the absence\u00a0of\u00a0natural predators, the hippo population has grown unchecked.<\/p>\n

An estimated 200\u00a0currently roam freely the Magdalena River basin. Without intervention, their numbers could rise to around 1,000 by 2035, according to the Environment Ministry.<\/p>\n

The program announced on Monday\u00a0has a budget of 7.2 billion\u00a0pesos (\u20ac1.68\u00a0million). Proposed measures include\u00a0confinement and\u00a0relocation and are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n

\n

Colombia debates future of Escobar’s hippos<\/h2>\n

Animal welfare groups oppose killing the hippos<\/h2>\n

Animal welfare activists argue that the hippos deserve to live. They say that addressing the problem through killing sets a poor example for a country that has experienced decades of internal conflict.<\/p>\n

Andrea Padilla, a\u00a0senator\u00a0and animal rights advocate,\u00a0described the plan to cull the hippos as a \u201ccruel\u201d decision.\u00a0\u00a0The lawmaker, who helped draft legislation banning bullfights in Colombia, accused government officials of choosing\u00a0the “easy way\u00a0out.”<\/p>\n

\u201cKillings and massacres will never be acceptable,”\u00a0Padilla wrote on X. \u201cThese are healthy creatures who are victims of the negligence\u00a0of government entities.”<\/p>\n

Environment Minister\u00a0Velez said\u00a0previous\u00a0methods to control the hippo\u00a0population had\u00a0been expensive and unsuccessful.\u00a0In 2022 and 2023, steps were taken\u00a0to relocate and sterlize<\/a> the herd, but they produced no tangible results.<\/p>\n

For months, Colombia held\u00a0talks with eight\u00a0governments, including India and\u00a0Mexico,\u00a0to \u2060possiblytransfer\u00a0some of the animals to zoos or\u00a0sanctuaries abroad<\/a>. No authorizations have been granted so far, the minister said.<\/p>\n

Officials say such transfers are unlikely. The herd suffers from genetic defects caused by inbreeding within a limited gene pool. For the same reason, returning the animals to their native habitat in Africa has been deemed unfeasible.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar’s legacy<\/h2>\n

Pablo Escobar built a private zoo<\/a> at Hacienda Napoles, a huge ranch in the Magdalena River valley that he used as his countryside home and landing strip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After Escobar was killed by security forces in 1993, his\u00a0confiscated properties were converted into\u00a0a theme park, featuring swimming spools, water slides and a zoo.\u00a0The descendants of Escobar\u2019s hippos have since become one of the park\u2019s main attractions.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug trafficker who led the Medell\u00edn Cartel in the 1980s. He became one of the richest criminals in history by controlling much of the cocaine trade to the United States and was notorious for extreme violence, corruption and a lavish lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Rob Turner<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Colombian<\/a> government authorized plans on Monday to cull up to 80 free-roaming hippopotamuses that scientists say are threatening local communities and ecosystems.<\/p>\n

The animals displace native species and disrupt fragile habitats, according to environmental experts. Colombia\u2019s hippos descend from four animals illegally imported in the 1980s by drug lord Pablo Escobar for his private zoo.<\/p>\n

“We must act to reduce the hippopotamus population,”\u00a0Environment Minister Irene Velez Torres told journalists on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Authorities say the large mammals\u00a0pose a danger to villagers<\/a> who have\u00a0encountered\u00a0them on farms and in rivers in central Colombia. The animals\u00a0also compete for food and habitat<\/a>\u00a0with native\u00a0species such as river manatees.<\/p>\n

“These\u00a0actions are essential \u200cto protect our ecosystems and our native\u00a0species,” Velez added.<\/p>\n

In the absence\u00a0of\u00a0natural predators, the hippo population has grown unchecked.<\/p>\n

An estimated 200\u00a0currently roam freely the Magdalena River basin. Without intervention, their numbers could rise to around 1,000 by 2035, according to the Environment Ministry.<\/p>\n

The program announced on Monday\u00a0has a budget of 7.2 billion\u00a0pesos (\u20ac1.68\u00a0million). Proposed measures include\u00a0confinement and\u00a0relocation and are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.<\/p>\n

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n

Animal welfare activists argue that the hippos deserve to live. They say that addressing the problem through killing sets a poor example for a country that has experienced decades of internal conflict.<\/p>\n

Andrea Padilla, a\u00a0senator\u00a0and animal rights advocate,\u00a0described the plan to cull the hippos as a \u201ccruel\u201d decision.\u00a0\u00a0The lawmaker, who helped draft legislation banning bullfights in Colombia, accused government officials of choosing\u00a0the “easy way\u00a0out.”<\/p>\n

\u201cKillings and massacres will never be acceptable,”\u00a0Padilla wrote on X. \u201cThese are healthy creatures who are victims of the negligence\u00a0of government entities.”<\/p>\n

Environment Minister\u00a0Velez said\u00a0previous\u00a0methods to control the hippo\u00a0population had\u00a0been expensive and unsuccessful.\u00a0In 2022 and 2023, steps were taken\u00a0to relocate and sterlize<\/a> the herd, but they produced no tangible results.<\/p>\n

For months, Colombia held\u00a0talks with eight\u00a0governments, including India and\u00a0Mexico,\u00a0to \u2060possiblytransfer\u00a0some of the animals to zoos or\u00a0sanctuaries abroad<\/a>. No authorizations have been granted so far, the minister said.<\/p>\n

Officials say such transfers are unlikely. The herd suffers from genetic defects caused by inbreeding within a limited gene pool. For the same reason, returning the animals to their native habitat in Africa has been deemed unfeasible.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar built a private zoo<\/a> at Hacienda Napoles, a huge ranch in the Magdalena River valley that he used as his countryside home and landing strip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After Escobar was killed by security forces in 1993, his\u00a0confiscated properties were converted into\u00a0a theme park, featuring swimming spools, water slides and a zoo.\u00a0The descendants of Escobar\u2019s hippos have since become one of the park\u2019s main attractions.<\/p>\n

Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug trafficker who led the Medell\u00edn Cartel in the 1980s. He became one of the richest criminals in history by controlling much of the cocaine trade to the United States and was notorious for extreme violence, corruption and a lavish lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Edited by: Rob Turner<\/em><\/p>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/colombia-cull-pablo-escobar-hippos\/a-76769831″]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/64871198_6.jpg”] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5C7L5 Authorities say the herd of ‘cocaine hippos’ first brought in by drug lord Pablo Escobar are an invasive species.Image: Juancho Torres\/AA\/picture alliance The Colombian government authorized plans on Monday to cull up to 80 free-roaming hippopotamuses that scientists say are threatening local communities and ecosystems. The animals displace native species and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1881173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1881173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1881173\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1881173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1881173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1881173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}