All articles tagged with #hippos
Descendants of hippos once owned by Pablo Escobar are causing havoc in Colombia, with nearly 170 "cocaine hippos" attacking people and invading communities. Despite government efforts to round them up, the hippos have become one of the largest invasive species in the world, posing a threat to ecosystems and local communities. If left unchecked, their population is projected to grow to over 1,000 in the next decade.
Pablo Escobar's private zoo in Colombia, which included hippos illegally imported from Africa, has led to a population explosion of almost 200 hippos wreaking havoc on the country's ecosystem. The Colombian government is facing a race against time to control the population through sterilization, relocation, and even euthanization, as the hippos pose a threat to native species, pollute waterways, and have become aggressive towards humans. Fox News correspondent Griff Jenkins explores the unchecked catastrophe in Fox Nation's "The Drug Lord's Hippos."
The oldest known fossil of the modern hippo species, Hippopotamus amphibius, in Europe has been discovered in Rome. The skull, dating back between 560,000-460,000 years, provides new insights into the early dispersal of hippos in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene. This finding contributes to a better understanding of the deep history of these large mammals and their significance as indicators of past climate and environmental conditions.
Colombia has begun sterilizing the descendants of hippos brought to the country by Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. The population of over 100 hippos, which have no natural predators in Colombia, is considered an invasive species that could disrupt the ecosystem. The sterilization plan aims to control the population by sterilizing 40 hippos annually, transferring some to other countries, and potentially euthanizing them. The hippos' presence has already impacted the local ecosystem, changing river compositions and threatening endemic species. However, capturing the territorial and aggressive animals is challenging, and the sterilization process is expensive and carries risks for both the hippos and personnel involved.
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.
Colombia plans to control its population of over 100 hippos, descendants of animals brought to the country by Pablo Escobar, through surgical sterilization, deportation to other countries, and possibly euthanasia. The hippos, known as "cocaine hippos," have no natural predators in Colombia and are considered an invasive species that could disrupt the ecosystem. Authorities estimate there are 169 hippos in Colombia, with the potential for 1,000 by 2035 if no action is taken. The sterilization process is expensive and risky, and the government is also exploring the option of transferring hippos to other countries. As a last resort, a protocol for euthanasia is being developed. The hippos' presence has already impacted the local ecosystem and poses a danger to humans.
The Colombian government has announced a three-pronged strategy to address the invasive spread of wild hippos once owned by drug lord Pablo Escobar. The plan includes sterilization, transfer to other countries, and euthanasia. Sterilization will begin next week, with 20 hippos to be sterilized in 2023 and 40 per year from 2024 onward. The government estimates that sterilizing each animal will cost around 40 million pesos. Colombia currently has an estimated 169 hippos, descendants of those brought in by Escobar, and experts warn that without intervention, the population could reach 1,000 by 2035, posing risks to biodiversity and local residents.
Mosquitos are the most dangerous animals in the world, responsible for transmitting diseases that cause between 725,000 and 1,000,000 deaths annually. Humans come in second, with an estimated 56 million deaths per year, including intentional homicides, unintentional violent deaths, and deaths from war and terrorism. Dogs, saltwater crocodiles, and hippos also make the list of dangerous animals due to their potential for attacking and killing humans.
Hippos that were once owned by drug lord Pablo Escobar have been multiplying in Colombia and are now considered an invasive species. The hippos, which were brought to Colombia in the 1980s, have no natural predators and are causing damage to the local ecosystem. Efforts to control their population have been unsuccessful, and some experts are calling for their removal.
An offspring of one of Pablo Escobar's "cocaine hippos" was hit and killed by an SUV along a highway near his former ranch in Colombia. The hippos, which were illegally brought to Colombia by the late drug kingpin, have become a tourist attraction in the years since his death. Environmental authorities estimate there are some 130 hippos in the area in Antioquia province and their population could reach 400 within the next decade. Plans to relocate the hippos to other countries have been formed to control their booming population.
A hippo descended from Pablo Escobar's private menagerie has died in Colombia after being hit by a car. The hippos were illegally brought into Colombia in the 1980s by Escobar as part of a collection of exotic animals he amassed at his ranch. Since then, they have reproduced rapidly and there are now between 130 and 160 of the hippos, spread far beyond Escobar's former ranch. Recently declared an invasive species in Colombia, the hippos' threat to agriculture and people's safety has been well documented in research, as has the impact of hippo waste on oxygen levels in bodies of water, which can reduce water quality and cause mass fish deaths.
A hippopotamus descended from animals illegally brought to Colombia by Pablo Escobar has died in a collision with an SUV on a highway near Escobar's hacienda. The "cocaine hippos," which now number more than 100, have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species that could upset the ecosystem. Colombia has proposed transferring at least 70 of the animals to India and Mexico to control their population. Scientists warn that the hippos' feces change the composition of rivers and could impact the habitat of manatees and capybaras.
A hippopotamus, descended from animals illegally brought to Colombia by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, has died in a collision with an SUV on a highway near Escobar’s hacienda. The hippos, which have no natural predators in Colombia and have been declared an invasive species, now number more than 100 and could rise to 400 in eight years. The crash reflected the additional danger that hippos, which weigh as much as 2 tons, can pose to motorists. Colombia has proposed transferring at least 70 of the animals to India and Mexico to control their population.
Colombia plans to transfer 70 "cocaine hippos" left behind by deceased drug lord Pablo Escobar to overseas sanctuaries, with a cost of $3.5 million. The hippos were brought to Colombia in the late 1980s and have since multiplied to about 150 animals, causing havoc to the local ecosystem. The transfer plan is seen as a life-saving measure as the hippos have no natural predators in Colombia and consume considerable amounts of grassland and produce significant waste, which poisons the rivers. Colombia had tried a sterilization program to control the population, but it failed.
Rare footage captured by Steyn Jacobson shows a lion stranded on a rock in the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park being attacked by several hippos, forcing the lion to jump off and flee toward shore. The young male lion was not injured during the encounter.