PUERTO TRIUNFO, Colombia (AP) — The offspring of hippos illegally imported to Colombia by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s are flourishing in the lush area and experts are warning about the dangers of the growing numbers. One group of scientists is now urging that the animals be culled. They say the hippos pose a major threat to the area’s biodiversity and could lead to deadly encounters with humans. The scientists concluded that Colombia’s current sterilization program is not enough to control hippo numbers. The population has increased in the last eight years from 35 to somewhere between 65 and 80. The scientists’ forecast published last month says there could be roughly 1,500 around 2035 if they aren’t culled.
Fear and love surround Escobar’s hippos thriving in Colombia
