Colombia is planning to reduce the population of 80 wild hippos that originated from a colony established by Pablo Escobar. The drug lord initially brought four hippos to Colombia in the 1980s for his private zoo, and they have since multiplied and spread throughout the country. Authorities estimate there are approximately 170 hippos in Colombia as of 2022. Due to concerns about the hippos posing a threat to local residents and the environment, the government has decided to cull around 80 of them.

Environment Minister Irene Vélez stated that previous efforts to control the hippo population, such as neutering and relocating them to zoos, have been ineffective and costly. Vélez emphasized the necessity of the cull to prevent the population from growing uncontrollably and to safeguard the ecosystems. The hippos are competing with local species like river manatees for resources and space.

Despite the government’s plan, animal welfare activists have criticized the culling initiative as “cruel.” The hippos have been declared an invasive species, and attempts to neuter them have been hindered by the expenses involved in capturing and performing surgery on the animals. The hippos have become a tourist attraction, with locals near Escobar’s former zoo offering hippo-spotting tours and related souvenirs. Returning the hippos to Africa, their native habitat, is deemed impractical due to the risk of disease transmission.

Hacienda Nápoles, Escobar’s estate that housed the private zoo, is now a theme park operated by the Colombian government. Escobar, known as “The King of Cocaine,” was a notorious criminal who amassed immense wealth through his drug empire. He was killed by police in 1993 in Medellin, his hometown, at the age of 44. Forbes ranked him as the seventh richest person globally in 1989, with an estimated net worth of $9 billion.

Escobar’s life story has inspired a popular Netflix series.