Colombia's Sterilization Efforts Tackle Escobar's Cocaine Hippos

Colombia has begun the sterilization of hippos, descendants of animals brought to the country by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. The government aims to control the population of over 100 hippos, which have no natural predators in Colombia and are considered an invasive species. The plan includes sterilizing 40 hippos annually, transferring some to other countries, and potentially euthanizing them. The hippos, originally from Escobar's private zoo, have spread to nearby rivers and reproduce freely. Sterilization efforts are complicated due to the difficulty of capturing the territorial and aggressive animals, as well as recent rain events. Without intervention, the population could reach 1,000 by 2035.