Colombia to cull up to 80 hippos descended from Pablo Escobar zoo
Colombia to cull up to 80 hippos linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar
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Colombian officials have authorized the culling of up to 80 hippos descended from Pablo Escobar's private zoo in the 1980s. The decision was made due to the hippos' negative impact on local ecosystems and villagers, as they compete with native species and pose a threat to humans. Previous methods of population control, such as neutering and relocation, have proven ineffective and expensive. Colombia is the only country outside Africa with a wild hippo population, which has grown to an estimated 170 animals. While the hippos have become a tourist attraction, environmental authorities emphasize the need to control their population to preserve the country's ecosystems. Animal rights activists have criticized the plan as cruel.
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AI-ExtractedKillings and massacres will never be acceptable.
About 170 hippos were roaming freely in Colombia in 2022.
The hippo population descends from four individuals imported by Escobar in the 1980s.
Colombian officials have authorized a plan to cull up to 80 hippos.
Other methods to control their population had been expensive and unsuccessful.
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