In a controversial ruling, Colombian judges ordered the execution of Pablo Escobar’s pack of “cocaine-carrying” hippos.
The “out of control” animals, originally part of the cartel boss’s private collection at his Hacienda Nápoles estate, escaped after his death in 1993 and have since multiplied into a massive invasive population.
When Escobar was killed in a police shootout in Medellin, authorities abandoned four hippos because they deemed them too difficult to capture or relocate.
By 2007, those original animals had grown into a herd of 16 animals that roamed the nearby Magdalena River in search of food.
Over the years, uncontrolled breeding of hippos has caused their numbers to increase to around 200, causing significant ecological disruption and threatening local wildlife and landscapes.
In a controversial ruling, Colombian judges ordered the execution of Pablo Escobar’s pack of “cocaine-addicted” hippos
When Escobar (pictured) was killed in a police shootout in Medellin in 1993, authorities left four hippos behind, deeming them too difficult to capture, but numbers have since soared.
Now, judges from the Administrative Court of Cundinamarca have ruled that the state’s Ministry of the Environment must begin slaughtering the animals within three months, according to the report. Sun.
Experts have warned the hippo population could swell to more than 1,000 if left unchecked, raising concerns about the risk to human life and local species.
Fishermen on the Magdalena River have already reported attacks and locals call the species “unpredictable” and “aggressive” and say the best course of action if you encounter one is to simply hide.
Meanwhile, experts fear that hippos could also pose a serious threat to endangered manatee populations.
Environmental lawyer Juan Pablo Sarmient stressed the urgency of the situation by stating: ‘The discussion about what to do with invasive species is a global problem.
‘However, due to the length of time the hippos have been in Colombia, this has become a situation that cannot continue any longer.
He added that such decisions must be taken to “eradicate” an invasive species before its effect on the environment becomes “unmanageable.”
Francisco Sanchez, an environmental official, echoed these concerns, saying previously The Guardian‘They will reach the sea, because they will follow the Magdalena River. It is totally out of control.’
Scientists have raised the alarm over the impact of their waste on local waterways, as a single hippo can produce up to 20 pounds of excrement a day.
People pose for photographs at the entrance to the Hacienda Nápoles theme park, once drug lord Pablo Escobar’s private zoo at his Nápoles ranch.
Experts have warned the hippo population could swell to more than 1,000 if left unchecked, raising concerns about the risk to human life and local species.
Scientists have raised alarm over the impact of their waste on local waterways, as a single hippo can produce up to 20 pounds of excrement a day.
While hippo waste plays a key role in sustaining ecosystems in Africa, Colombia’s flora and fauna are unable to process it, potentially causing significant damage to native species, including fish populations.
Previous efforts to control the hippo population through sterilization and relocation have had limited success.
Some wildlife groups have even proposed transporting the herd to Mexico as an alternative to culling.
Despite the court ruling, debate continues over how to manage the invasive hippo population, with conservationists and environmentalists calling for humane and scientifically backed solutions to manage the crisis.
Meanwhile, a visitor to a safari park in Indonesia has been “urged to make a public apology” after risking killing a hippo by throwing a plastic bag into its mouth.
A shocking video clip showed the tourist at the Taman safari park apparently dangling a carrot near the hippo’s open mouth before throwing the bag inside.