Pablo Escobar’s hippos sentenced to death in Colombia

The hippos introduced to Colombia by the deceased drug trafficker Pablo Escobar have been officially sentenced to death by the judges of the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca.

This decision marks the end of a long debate on the fate of the so-called “cocaine hippos”a herd that has become a serious environmental and public safety problem.

The hippos were brought by Pablo Escobar in the 1980s as part of his extravagant collection of exotic animals at his Hacienda Nápoles. After the drug lord’s death in 1993, some of the animals escaped, and Hippos reproduced rapidlyCurrently, there are an estimated 200 specimens left, and experts fear the population could grow to more than 1,000 if drastic measures are not taken.

Environmental impact and human risk

The hippopotamus herd has seriously altered the ecosystems of the Magdalena River, polluting the water with its waste and endangering native species such as manatees and various fish populations. According to studies, a single hippopotamus can produce up to 10 kilos of excrement per day, which in Africa provides essential nutrients for river ecosystems. However, in Colombia, the impact has been negative, since local species are not adapted to this type of pollution.

In addition, attacks on fishermen have been reported, raising fears that hippos pose a direct threat to humans.

Failure of control attempts

On Friday, September 6, the judges noted that previous attempts to control the herd, such as sterilizing and relocating some animals, have failed. “The situation cannot continue any longer”said Juan Pablo Sarmient, an expert on climate change, highlighting the urgency of eliminating this invasive species to protect both the environment and human life.

The court ruling has given the Colombian Ministry of Environment a three-month deadline to implement the eradication of hippos, putting an end to a problem that has remained unresolved for more than three decades.

International proposals and debates

The controversy over what to do with the hippos has attracted the attention of wildlife groups, who have advocated for less lethal alternatives, such as relocation to other countries. At one point, there were proposals to send the herd to Mexico, but those options have not been viable, according to authorities.

The court decision sets a precedent in the fight against invasive species, a problem that, according to Sarmient, affects many countries around the world, and whose solution is vital to protect biodiversity.

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Carlos Narvaes, a graduate of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters with a degree in Sociology from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS), who has conducted school research on insecurity issues. I have completed diplomas in security, violence and quality of life, where I have learned about various theoretical perspectives and these are the topics that I like to work on and that have caught my attention the most. I began my career as a web reporter at DEBATE in 2018, working on topics in the police, political and viral content sections. I especially cover news related to Mexico City and the State of Mexico, I keep up to date with the conferences of the Head of Government, Claudia Sheinbaum and I also follow distance agencies to stay up to date with the events. I have followed news such as the

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