Colombia Rescues Malnourished ‘Cocaine Hippo’ Found by Fishermen

Authorities in northwestern Colombia have rescued a newborn hippopotamus found abandoned by fishermen along a riverbank. The hippo showed signs of severe malnutrition. Colombia, home to around 200 ‘cocaine hippos,’ inherited these animals from Pablo Escobar. Escobar introduced them to South America, and they now roam freely.

Fishermen discovered the young hippo separated from its mother and concealed in bushes in Puerto Nare, a rural area in Antioquia. Javier Valencia, the regional environmental authority director, confirmed this. Veterinarians treated the hippo for dehydration and malnutrition.

Once stable, the hippo was moved to a sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, a site previously owned by Escobar, now turned into a theme park. This rescue underscores the challenges Colombia faces with Escobar’s hippo legacy.

Escobar imported four hippos in the 1980s for his private zoo. After his death in 1993, they escaped, settling along the Magdalena River. These hippos have since disrupted the local ecosystem and attacked residents.

Independent journalist Audrey Huse explained the hippos kill fish and threaten local species like manatees and turtles. With no natural predators in Colombia, unlike Africa, their population has surged. “They’re large animals that consume a lot of grassland and create waste poisoning rivers,” Huse stated.

Labeled as an invasive species, these hippos destabilize native ecosystems. This issue led the government to approve culling approximately 80 hippos after unsuccessful sterilization efforts.

The high cost of deporting the hippos, estimated at $3.5 million, adds complexity to the situation. This colony remains the largest of its kind outside Africa.