In all the hype about cute Moo Deng, let's not forget about Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos — where are they now?
Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos marked the start of Colombia's most unprecedented invasion. Here's what they're up to now
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a notorious Colombian drug lord, recognized as the founder and sole leader of the Medellín Cartel. Today his infamous cocaine hippos are taking over the Colombian ecosystem, much like the little Thai hippo Moo Deng is taking over our hearts. While the charming pygmy hippo seeks to win hearts with her delightful antics, these larger beasts pose significant challenges to the ecosystem, causing more harm than good, here's how.
Who are the cocaine hippos?
Pablo Escobar was picky about animals. He did not want lions, tigers or other big cats; taking care of carnivores was a task the drug lord was not up to. When he curated a private zoo at his estate — Hacienda Nápoles near Doradal in Colombia — the intention was to open it up to the general public in an attempt to win their hearts. As the 80s rolled by, people stood in lines for hours in the heat, waiting for his lackeys to open the doors so they could participate in an experience reserved for thrill seekers — an up-close view of elephants, ostriches, hippos and a myriad of other wild beasts.
Pablo's days of revelry at Hacienda Nápoles didn’t last long though, and soon after he was shot dead in 1993 his estate was ransacked by locals searching for rumoured hidden money and weapons, leaving the property in disrepair. The government eventually took over the estate in 1998, relocating most of the animals to local zoos. However, a few hippos — likely one male and three females — were deemed too dangerous to move. Affectionately called “cocaine hippos”, these animals marked the start of Colombia's most unprecedented invasion.
The hippos had survived on their own, eating the grass, fruits and other plants, and over the years their growing population created new pods beyond the hacienda. It's a lesser-known fact that female hippos can give birth every 18 months, therefore those that live up to 50 years can single-handedly populate a pod. The males, forced out by the dominant hippo also went on to establish new herds in nearby territories. There were a series of failed attempts to contain the hippos within the hacienda through bushes, barbed wire and electric fences, but the animals kept escaping. By late 2023, the government’s count of total hippos in Colombia’s Magdalena Basin was a whopping 169. Though Colombia hasn’t seen any truly extreme incidents, tensions began to rise as hippos attacked farmers, damaged crops, and caused accidents. One hippo was hit by a car, while another startled teachers and children when it wandered onto a schoolyard.
Colombian scientists also became concerned about the environmental impact. Hippos produce around 9 kilograms of dung daily, which can harm aquatic ecosystems when it accumulates. In Africa, this dung traditionally supports fish populations, but due to changing climates and drought, it has led to toxic conditions. Experts worry the same could happen in Colombia, potentially threatening native species like otters, capybaras, manatees, and turtles — the fact of the matter is that Colombia’s ecosystem is not built to handle such large herbivores.
What measures are being taken to control the hippo population?
After years of debate, Colombian authorities announced a plan to sterilize, euthanize and relocate these mighty pests — reports claim that at least 70 were sent to India itself. The challenge proves to be greater than anticipated since the castration of the hippo can be quite complex due to the animal's immense size but more importantly, the evasive nature of its testicles which are retractable up to 40cm.
The process begins with tranquillizing the hippo and after ensuring the animal is fully sedated, the veterinarians drag it onto a sterile sheet, shield it from the sun, and administer antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and anaesthetics. The lead vet then palpates the hippo’s abdomen to locate the testicles in the inguinal canal. Once found, a 6cm incision is made through thick skin and fat. Carefully, the vet slices around the blood vessels to extract the mango-sized testicles. After removing them, the wound is sutured and the incision sewn shut. The entire procedure, from sedation to recovery can take up to 7 hours. The team monitors the hippo until it regains consciousness and returns to the wild. With a strong immune system and a natural antibiotic in its skin, the hippo is expected to recover well.
“We are in a race against time in terms of permanent environmental and ecosystem impacts,” Susana Muhamad, Colombia’s environmental minister said in a statement. Colombian officials have calculated that each sterilization will cost approximately 40 million pesos, or roughly $10,000, and will require a team of eight people, including veterinarians, technicians as well as support staff. Although the procedure is expected to have minimal effects on the health of the hippos, officials are also considering euthanasia as a last resort if other methods fail to mitigate the growing ecological threat.