Colombia to cull dozens of Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’

Colombian environmental authorities have approved a controversial plan to put down dozens of feral hippos that have spread across the country’s central region since originating from animals once kept by drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Officials say as many as 80 hippos could be affected under the new program, which is being presented as a last-resort effort after previous population-control attempts—such as sterilization—failed to keep numbers in check. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said the situation has reached a point where stronger action is necessary, warning that without intervention the population cannot be controlled and local ecosystems will continue to be at risk.

The initiative carries an estimated budget of about $1.98 million and is expected to combine several strategies, including capturing some animals for confinement and relocating others, alongside the planned culling.

The hippos are descendants of just four animals imported in the 1980s for Escobar’s private zoo at Hacienda Nápoles in the Magdalena River basin. Over the decades, they have expanded far beyond the original estate, now roaming areas roughly 60 miles from the former ranch. A 2022 study from Colombia’s National University estimated that the population had grown to around 170 individuals living freely in the wild.

Authorities have repeatedly warned that the animals pose risks to nearby communities, particularly farmers and people living along rivers. As an invasive species, they also compete with native wildlife for resources, including species such as river manatees.

At the same time, the hippos—often referred to locally as “cocaine hippos”—have become a surprising tourist draw. Many visitors travel to the former Hacienda Nápoles site, which the government seized from Escobar and later converted into a theme park featuring recreational attractions along with a zoo that houses various African species.

The decision has drawn strong criticism from animal rights advocates. Senator Andrea Padilla, who has been active in animal welfare legislation, condemned the plan as inhumane, arguing that the animals are suffering due to earlier government mismanagement rather than their own actions.

She and other critics have pointed out that the hippos cannot easily be relocated to Africa due to their limited genetic diversity and potential disease risks, leaving officials with few viable long-term alternatives according to environmental authorities.