Colombia to kill dozens of "cocaine hippos" linked to Pablo Escobar

World Colombia to euthanize dozens of "cocaine hippos" linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population April 13, 2026 / 3:01 PM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Colombian officials on Monday authorized a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through a region in the center of the country, where they threaten villagers and displace native species years after notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar brought in the first ones.Environment Minister Irene Vélez said previous methods to control the population of the so-called "cocaine hippos" have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when 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."Colombia is the only country outside of Africa with a wild hippo population. The hippos are the descendants of four brought to the country in the 1980s by Escobar as he built a private zoo in Hacienda Nápoles, a gigantic ranch in the Magdalena River valley with a private landing strip that served as his rural abode.A study published by Colombia's National University estimated that around 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.Colombia has declared them an invasive species and experts have said sterilization alone is not enough to control the growth of the animals, which is why the government previously arranged for the possible transfer of hippos to overseas sanctuaries. But the cost of deporting the hippos is also expensive — an estimated $3.5 million.Recently, hippos have been spotted in areas that are more than 60 miles north of the ranch. Environmental authorities in Colombia say the mammals pose a threat to villagers who have encountered them in farms and rivers. They also compete for food and space...