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<\/p>\nColombian officials have authorised a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through a region in the centre of the country, where they threaten villagers and displace native species, years after notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar brought in the first ones.<\/p>\n
Environment Minister Irene V\u00e9lez said previous methods to control their population have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos.<\/p>\n
Ms V\u00e9lez said up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure.<\/p>\n
She did not say when hunting would begin.<\/p>\n
“If we don’t do this, we will not be able to control the population,” Ms V\u00e9lez said.<\/p>\n
“We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.”<\/p>\n
Colombia is the only country outside of Africa with a wild hippo population.<\/p>\n
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A hippo swims in the Magdalena river in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia. (AP: Fernando Vergara)<\/p>\n
The hippos are the descendants of four brought to the country in the 80s by Escobar as he built a private zoo in Hacienda N\u00e1poles, a gigantic ranch in the Magdalena River Valley with a private landing strip that served as his rural home.<\/p>\n
Escobar died in 1993.<\/p>\n
A study published by Colombia’s National University estimated that about 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.<\/p>\n
Recently, hippos have been spotted more than 100 kilometres north of the ranch.<\/p>\n
Environmental authorities in Colombia say the mammals pose a threat to villagers who have encountered them in farms and rivers.<\/p>\n
They also compete for food and space against local species such as river manatees.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, the hippos have also become a tourist attraction, with residents of villages surrounding Hacienda N\u00e1poles offering hippo-spotting tours and selling hippo-themed souvenirs.<\/p>\n
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Hippo key rings at a souvenir shop near the Hacienda Napoles Park. (AP: Ivan Valencia)<\/p>\n
The hippos are also one of the main attractions at the N\u00e1poles ranch, which was confiscated by Colombia’s government after it seized Escobar’s properties.<\/p>\n
It now functions as a theme park, featuring swimming pools, water slides and a zoo that includes several other African species.<\/p>\n
Animal welfare activists in Colombia have long opposed proposals to kill the hippos, arguing they deserve to live.<\/p>\n
They say that addressing the problem through violence sets a poor example for a country that has gone through decades of internal conflict.<\/p>\n