Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar left behind an ecological mess

Talk about a dangerous invasive species.

Today, Colombian officials agreed on a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through the country.

The huge African beasts occupy a fertile and humid region in the center of the country, and there they are a menace to villagers and are displacing the native species.

Associated Press reported:

“Environment Minister Irene Vélez said the decision was reached because other methods to control their population have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said that up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when the hunting would begin.

‘If we don’t do this, we will not be able to control the population’, Vélez said. ‘We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems’.”

A group of hippos partially submerged in calm water, surrounded by lush green vegetation.
The Hippos are totally disrupting the ecosystem of Colombian rivers

Only in Colombia will you find a wild hippo population outside of Africa.

These fearsome beasts are the descendants of four animals from Pablo Escober’s private zoo in Hacienda Nápoles.

“A study published by Colombia’s National University estimated that around 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.

Recently, hippos have been spotted in areas that are more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the ranch, where Escobar initially introduced the water-dwelling pachyderms.”

Read more, from February 2024:

COCAINE HIPPOS: Brought Into Colombia by Drug Lord Pablo Escobar 40 Years Ago, the ‘Invasive Species’ Is Breeding Out of Control and Has Started Attacking People

The post Colombian Officials Approve Culling of Dozens of Descendants From Pablo Escobar’s Cocaine Hippos Wreaking Havoc in the Country’s Rivers appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.