Pablo Escobar’s hippos are taking care of Colombia’s swamps – and must face the same fate as their late owner before they become impossible to control, scientists warned.
So-called “cocaine hippos” were illegally imported into the country by the notorious drug dealer, who was shot dead by authorities in 1993, the Telegraph reported.
But rapidly breeding beasts have now grown to become the largest invasive species on the planet – and could reach dangerous numbers in the next two decades.
“Nobody likes the idea of shooting a hippo, but we have to accept that no other strategy is going to work,” ecologist Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez told the vehicle.
When Escobar was killed, authorities took control of his 7,000-acre property, including a private zoo.
While most animals found homes in zoos elsewhere, four of the hippos escaped.
Without real predators, there are between 80 and 100 descendants of the former Escobar pets terrorizing the country’s lakes and rivers, the Telegraph reported.
Scientists have projected that the population of hippos could increase to 1,500 by 2024.
Hippos pose a threat to natural wildlife, as their urine and feces are toxic, potentially making other species and even humans sick, Telegraph reported.
David Echeverri Lopez, a government environmentalist, said they are running to emasculate the creatures before they take control.
“These hippos became part of the local identity. But time is running out, ”he said.
But others fear that there is no option but to kill them.
“Relocation could have been possible 30 years ago, when there were only four hippos,” Castelblanco-Martínez told the channel.
“Neutering could also have been effective if employees had provided sufficient resources for the program from the beginning, but slaughter is now the only option.”