Baby "cocaine hippo" linked to infamous drug lord is rescued in Colombia
Summary
Authorities in Colombia rescued a newborn hippopotamus found alone and malnourished near a river. The hippos in Colombia descend from animals imported by the drug lord Pablo Escobar, and their growing population is causing harm to local wildlife and ecosystems.Key Facts
- The rescued baby hippo was found by fishermen in Puerto Nare, Antioquia, Colombia.
- Veterinarians treated the hippo for dehydration and malnutrition.
- The hippo was moved to a sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, Escobar’s former estate.
- Pablo Escobar brought four hippos to Colombia in the 1980s for his private zoo.
- After Escobar’s death, the hippos escaped and now live wild along the Magdalena River.
- The hippos damage local ecosystems and threaten native species like manatees and turtles.
- They have no natural predators in Colombia, so their population is growing rapidly.
- The government plans to cull about 80 hippos because sterilization efforts failed.
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