Current Events > Colombia has a hippopotamus problem thanks to Pablo Escobar

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https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3052031/colombia-has-hippopotamus-problem-thanks-pablo-escobar

Maria Jaramilla awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of her panicked mule. When she looked out across her small yard, her confusion turned to shock: a hippopotamus had wandered down her driveway and was inspecting her house. It was a big fright for all of us, said Jaramilla, 41. Since that night in 2018, the hippos have kept coming wandering down the backstreets of rural Doradal, a small Colombian town a four-hour drive from Medellin. Occasionally a hippopotamus will appear on the local soccer pitch to graze. An estimated 80 hippopotamuses, perhaps more, live in the area around the Rio Magdalena, Colombias principal river, which runs through the centre of the country. Theyre descendants of four hippos that were brought to the country by infamous drug lord Pablo Escobar for his personal collection.

The rapid growth of their numbers has authorities worried that residents could be attacked the 3-tonne animals can be aggressive and kill more people per year in Africa than any other wildlife species. Scientists also worry that their presence threatens the areas native flora and fauna. In the 1980s, during the height of his power, Escobar kept the hippos in a private zoo on his 5,500-acre (2,225-hectare) estate, Hacienda Napoles, where he kept a private zoo stocked with exotic animals such as elephants and giraffes.

Following Escobars death in 1993 most of the animals were taken to new homes or died. But not the hippos. Their size and cost to transport meant they were abandoned. But while Escobars estate fell into disrepair, the animals thrived. The conditions around Hacienda Napoles are ideal for the hippos. They live in the areas large lakes and waterways, enjoy endless grass pastures to graze in and they have no natural predators.

Students at a small primary school behind Escobars former estate arrive for class each day by passing a sign that reads danger hippopotamus present. It worries us, said Wilber Quinones who teaches at the school. We have to lock ourselves inside with the children to try and avoid an accident. So far, the hippos have refrained from attacking humans, but as their numbers grow and they expand into more populated areas, experts fear an attack could be inevitable.

more @ link


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so they arent going extinct?

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Orange man bad!

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Could hunt them for sport/food/pest control. I have no idea what hippo tastes like.

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008Zulu posted...

Could hunt them for sport/food/pest control. I have no idea what hippo tastes like.

Could if hippos weren't the most powerful beings in existence

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Good we need more hippos for our invasion plans in outer space

Hungry Hungry Pablos!

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Huh... that is a really fucking weird problem. Imagine your city getting overrun by hippos because 30+ years ago a drug lord thought it'd be fucking sweet to have some in his backyard.
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boxington posted...

They live in the areas large lakes and waterways, enjoy endless grass pastures to graze in and they have no natural predators.

Do

Do they have natural predators outside of Columbia?

boxington posted...

When she looked out across her small yard, her confusion turned to shock: a hippopotamus had wandered down her driveway and was inspecting her house.

Dibs on making this Horror Movie

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Even crocodiles don't fuck with hippos most of the time.

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KStateKing17 posted...

Even crocodiles don't fuck with hippos most of the time.

Nothing does. They're living tanks. Even elephants don't fuck with them.

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Hippos are legit terrifying. They aren't given enough credit for essentially being the biggest, strongest, aggressive killer in nature.

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But they thicc
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bump~

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So is it open hunting season on them Hippos yet?

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Irony posted...

Could if hippos weren't the most powerful beings in existence

Pretty sure that an elephant could beat a hippo in a fight to the death.

pres_madagascar posted...

Nothing does. They're living tanks. Even elephants don't fuck with them.

https://youtu.be/FJBtujXM5cQ

Elephants definitely fuck with them.

https://youtu.be/vOMFxpeNuBY

Even when in their turf, hippo's know better than to fuck with an elephant.

one more

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PokemonYoutube posted...

Pretty sure that an elephant could beat a hippo in a fight to the death.

https://youtu.be/FJBtujXM5cQ

Elephants definitely fuck with them.

https://youtu.be/vOMFxpeNuBY

Even when in their turf, hippo's know better than to fuck with an elephant.

but the hippo was fine after being tackled by a fuckin elephant


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Even the way they take shits is unsettling...
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Machete posted...

Even the way they take shits is unsettling...

And then the evil laugh sound they make just tops it all off

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SSJCAT posted...

but the hippo was fine after being tackled by a fuckin elephant

Doesn't change the fact that an elephant can effortlessly bowl over a hippo while the hippo can't do a damn thing to the elephant. The elephant is twice as tall and three times as heavy.

Irony posted...

Could if hippos weren't the most powerful beings in existence

Elephants laugh in the face of hippos:

https://youtu.be/H5B4PV9tV6Q

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A 50 BMG would lay waste to a hippo.

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PokemonYoutube posted...

Doesn't change the fact that an elephant can effortlessly bowl over a hippo while the hippo can't do a damn thing to the elephant. The elephant is twice as tall and three times as heavy.

sweep the leg

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SH_expert44 posted...

A 50 BMG would lay waste to a hippo.

I don't think there's a land animal alive that can survive a .50 BMG

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How fucking hard is it for whatever little governing body that exists in buttfuck nowhere Colombia or organize a professional hunting party to kill less than a hundred giant targets?
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