Colombian Court Orders Culling of Pablo Escobar’s Hippos

Hippos introduced to Colombia by the drug kingpin Pablo Escobar must be hunted, a Colombian court said last week.

Escobar brought the hippopotami to Colombia as additions to his private zoo. When Colombian police killed Escobar in 1993, his estate—including his menagerie—was seized, and his animals were distributed to zoos. Escobar’s four hippos were left alone—authorities deemed the animals cumbersome to capture and they were assumed a non-issue.

But the animals started breeding, expanding their footprint to the environment beyond Escobar’s old estate, an area with plenty of vegetation and nary a predator. Now, over 100 of the animals roam the country, vexing locals and potentially threatening other species in the area.

In 2021, a local court ruled the four-legged heavyweights should be sterilized, rather than euthanized. That project had been proceeding slowly, though last year plans developed to euthanize some of the animals. The more recent decision by the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca gave the Ministry of Environment three months to introduce “a regulation that contemplates measures for the eradication of the species” in the area, AFP reports.

According to Smithsonian, there are now at least 169 of the hippos roaming around Colombia. Hippos are famously dangerous; they can weigh up to five tons and measure 16.5 feet (5 meters) long, and can open their powerful jaws up to 150 degrees, according to the African Wildlife Federation. They are one of nature’s deadliest animals, and there have been reports of fishers being attacked on the Magdalena River in western Colombia.

According to an AFP report last year, experts believe the hippo population could rise to 1,000 individuals by 2035 if nothing is done. Alternative proposals—transferring about 70 animals to sanctuaries in countries including Mexico and India—have not gone anywhere.

Proponents of animal rights object to the hunting plans, as do some people affiliated with the tourism industry. Escobar’s legacy—including the two-ton behemoths roaming the area of his estate—continues to draw visitors to the country each year.

Hippos can be dangerous but they’re still in need of conservation. Pygmy hippopotami, for example, are endangered, which is why a baby born at a Czech zoo last year made such a big splash.

Though no fatal encounters between hippos and humans have occurred in Colombia, incidents are increasing, Smithsonian reported. One particularly alarming incident occurred when a hippo made its way into a schoolyard, sending teachers and students scattering.

Exactly how the legacy of Escobar shakes out remains to be seen, but one fact is clear: something’s got to be done about these hippos.