To manage the burgeoning population of hippos descended from animals imported by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, Colombia has initiated a sterilization program. On Tuesday, environmental authorities sterilized two male and one female hippopotamus, marking the beginning of a broader government campaign to address the more than 100 hippos freely roaming some […]
Tag: hippopotamus
Hippos Are in Trouble. Will an Endangered Listing Save Them?
Thanks to years of campaigning by wildlife conservation groups, it’s widely known that Africa’s elephants and rhinos are threatened by the trade in their valuable tusks and horns. Laws and regulations have been tightened, and in many countries it’s now difficult, if not impossible, to legally sell elephant and rhino products. Less well known is […]
Pablo Escobar’s ‘Cocaine Hippos’ Threatening Colombia’s Biodiversity
A group of hippos introduced to Colombia by drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar in the 1990s is causing concern among researchers and conservationists. After Escobar’s death, the hippos were left to establish themselves in Colombia’s Magdalena River and nearby lakes, and their population has multiplied to around 150 individuals. Scientists now worry that the environment […]
Fuming hippo chases terrified tourists as safari comes inches away from jaws of beast
A furious hippo has chased down a boat packed with safari-going tourists who found themselves just inches away from the jaws of a wild beast. The now-viral video showcased tourists aboard a speedboat, taking in the sights of their surroundings and a close-by hippopotamus that took more than an interest in them. They were just […]
Call for hippos to join list of world’s most endangered animals
Hippos could be added to the list of the world’s most endangered animals because of dwindling populations caused by the climate crisis, poaching and the ivory trade. The semi-aquatic mammals are found in lakes and rivers across sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated population of 115,000-130,000. As well as the trade in ivory – found in […]
Elephant ivory traders can evade new UK ban by disguising their products as walrus or narwhal
Campaigners have warned that ivory peddlers may continue to sell elephant tusks after a new ban if they disguise their products as walrus or narwhal derivatives. The trading in elephant teeth and tusks became prohibited in the UK on Monday, and violators could face fines of up to £250,000 or five years in prison under […]
Safari leader viciously attacked by hippo has left arm amputated
After his life-changing encounter with the deadly beast in his native Zimbabwe in 1996 – which he claims “stank of rotten eggs” – Paul Templer was left with 39 “serious” bite wounds “.. The wildlife specialist, who was conducting a six-person safari down the Zambezi river, characterized the horrific encounter as “a horrible day at […]
‘I saw a big set of white teeth coming towards me’: the people who survived terrifying wild animal attacks
Although, mercifully, still rare, there are signs that wild animal attacks on humans are increasing. Research from the scientific journal Nature found that, as our urban areas further expand into the territories of carnivorous animals, attacks on pets, livestock and sometimes humans have been on the rise. In Kashmir, local wildlife departments have been reporting […]