In Colombia’s Antioquia region, an unusual and potentially dangerous legacy of a bygone era has taken root. Descendants of hippos imported by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar during the 1980s now roam the Colombian countryside. These once-private zoo inhabitants have multiplied and become a significant challenge for the country’s authorities. The Colombian government, under the […]
Tag: Pablo Escobar
Colombia’s Escalating ‘Cocaine Hippo’ Dilemma
Colombia is grappling with an unusual ecological problem: a fast-growing population of hippos, descendants of a small group brought in by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar. This exotic invasion, escalating much faster than anticipated, is threatening native wildlife and sparking concerns among environmentalists and locals alike. The illicit hippo import took place decades ago, when […]
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 […]
Can an animal be a person? Yes – if they are Pablo Escobar’s cocaine hippos
In the US, a federal court has recognised the hippos as “interested persons” with legal rights. But the case to really watch out for is that of Happy the elephant For all those who keep up with Pablo Escobar’s “cocaine hippos”, some happy news: a federal US court has recognised them as “interested persons” with […]
Jaguars in Suriname’s protected parks remain vulnerable to poaching
In mid-June 2012, a few months after she started monitoring the jaguars inside Brownsberg Nature Park in Suriname, biologist Vanessa Kadosoe saw Amalia for the first time. Through the pictures from a camera trap, she observed the little jaguar cub walking beside her parents, Máxima and Willem Alexander, the monarchs of the jungle until then. […]
POLL: Should Pablo Escobar’s hippos be culled to halt biodiversity disaster?
Hippos imported illegally into Colombia for Pablo Escobar’s private zoo have gone feral in the lush tropical countryside and must be culled before their invasive presence starts to wipe out indigenous flora and fauna, scientists have warned. One of the notorious drug lord’s great extravagances saw him amass a collection of hippos, kangaroos, giraffes, elephants […]