Some scientists say the best and easiest thing to do at this juncture would be to cull the population, which is estimated to being around 60-80 Hippos from the original three females and one male that notorious Druglord Pablo Escobar originally brought to his Medellin Estate to populate his Private Zoo.
But after the outcry of soldiers and hunters killing three hippos near a small town a decade ago, the public outcry was so great that the government apparently even made it illegal to hunt the adorable monsters.
apnews.com
Other options are still being explored, including sterilization which so far has proven negligible due to cost both in time, effort and money. Other options to be explored include zoo donations or researching the possibility of chemical sterilization.
The Hippos current South American environment is apparently empty of any native natural predators and their presence could harm local citizens (who currently look on them favorably, in part due to tourist dollars) as well as other knock on effects to local animal biodiversity and even 'water quality' due to how much these Hippos apparently defecate.
On the other hand, they are very adorable even if they may become MurderHippos.
Especially the youngins...
But after the outcry of soldiers and hunters killing three hippos near a small town a decade ago, the public outcry was so great that the government apparently even made it illegal to hunt the adorable monsters.
Fear and love surround Escobar's hippos thriving in Colombia
PUERTO TRIUNFO, Colombia (AP) — Tucked between mountain ranges, the sprawling palace of Pablo Escobar was home to kangaroos, giraffes, elephants and other exotic animals — a private zoo of illegally imported animals that was the greatest ostentation of the feared drug kingpin as he reigned over the
apnews.com
Other options are still being explored, including sterilization which so far has proven negligible due to cost both in time, effort and money. Other options to be explored include zoo donations or researching the possibility of chemical sterilization.
The Hippos current South American environment is apparently empty of any native natural predators and their presence could harm local citizens (who currently look on them favorably, in part due to tourist dollars) as well as other knock on effects to local animal biodiversity and even 'water quality' due to how much these Hippos apparently defecate.
On the other hand, they are very adorable even if they may become MurderHippos.
Especially the youngins...
