After being hit by an SUV, a hippo that was descended from Pablo Escobar’s Colombian cocaine kingpin has been killed.
The collision occurred on a highway between Bogota and Medellin in northwest Colombia. It was close to Escobar’s estate.
Environmental authorities reported that the hippo was killed immediately following the accident on Tuesday night local time.
“This is one danger that the presence this species represents. David Echeverri Lopez, a Cornare biologist and local environmental authority, stated that many of them cross the highway, which is dangerous for people.
He said that hippos are unpredictable and can attack anyone at any time.
Escobar had a net worth of $30bn (PS24bn) and illegally brought in a group hippos to live with him in his Hacienda Napoles estate. This was in the 1980s.
After Escobar’s 1993 shooting death, the estate was made a tourist attraction.
The hippos roam freely around Puerto Triunfo, a nearby town. Residents have grown to be used to it.
Continue reading:
Declare ‘Pablo Escobar Hippos’ an Invasive Species
Hippos cause concern among residents of Colombia
Hippos are native to Africa and spread from the estate to nearby rivers, now numbering around 130.
They are considered an invasive species in Colombia because they have no natural predators.
According to environmental officials, their population could reach 400 within eight years.
Colombia proposed that at least 70 animals be transferred to India or Mexico in an effort to reduce their population.
Scientists warn that hippos’ faeces can alter the river composition and impact the habitat for manatees, capybaras, and other wildlife.
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