iStockphoto
Colombia has spent years attempting to control the growing population of the so-called “cocaine hippos” that can be traced back to Pablo Escobar. Those efforts have not had the intended effect, and the country is now gearing up for a mass culling in an attempt to stop the invasive species in its tracks.
Pablo Escobar literally had more money than he knew what to do with during his time as the head of the Medellin cartel. It’s believed the drug lord’s massive cocaine operation raked in more than $400 million a week at its peak in the 1980s, and billions of dollars went to waste due to storage methods that led to the massive stashes of cash getting eaten by rats and destroyed by the elements.
He used some of his illict earnings to construct a massive compound known as “Hacienda Nápoles” in the vicinity of Puerto Triunfo, which featured a race track, private airstrip, and a zoo with a menagerie of exotic animals including giraffes, ostriches, and hippos.
The four hippos that were kept there managed to escape after Escobar was killed in 1993, and Colombia eventually found itself dealing with a headache as they and their descendants reproduced. Attempts to stop the population from growing have left a lot to be desired, and officials have decided to turn to a lethal solution to address the problem.
Colombia is planning to kill 80 of the “cocaine hippos” that can be traced back to Pablo Escobar
The quartet of hippos that absconded from Hacienda Nápoles initially set up shop in the nearby Magdalena River. As of 2022, it was believed their population had grown to 170, and their territory had expanded as far as 60 miles north of their former home.
The feral hippos have been blamed for wreaking havoc on local ecosystems with the help of poop that has the potential to spawn algae blooms. Multiple people have also claimed they’ve been attacked by one while fishing, and in 2023, a driver was injured after crashing their car into one of them, which perished as a result.
There have been attempts to castrate the hippos to prevent them from reproducing, and 10 of them were airlifted to Mexico a few years ago. However, it hasn’t done much to curb a population that could reach 1,400 by 2039 if no serious steps are taken, and it appears Colombia is done messing around.
According to The Guardian, Irene Vélez, Colombia’s environment minister, announced the country is preparing for a mass culling in the hopes of exterminating 80 hippos. It’s unclear if it will dispatch government officials to do the dirty work or declare open season on the animals while giving citizens the chance to hunt them down, but it’s pretty clear they’re done messing around.
The move is not without some controversy, as Andrea Padilla Villarraga, a senator who is known for advocating for animals’ rights, voiced her displeasure with the “cruel” decision, saying she will “never support the slaughter of healthy creatures” she asserts are “victims of irresponsibility, negligence, indolence, and state corruption.”
🚩 Insisto: ¡decisión facilista y cruel!
Jamás apoyaré la matanza de criaturas saludables; menos aún, si, como en este caso, son víctimas de la irresponsabilidad, la negligencia, la indolencia y la corrupción estatal. La ministra @IreneVelezT debe gestionar y estudiar más… https://t.co/D7JXgozIps
— Andrea Padilla Villarraga 🪽🐾 (@andreanimalidad) April 13, 2026
I guess we’ll have to wait and see how this pans out.