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Newborn "cocaine hippo" linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar is rescued in Colombia
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- Authorities in northwestern Colombia rescued a malnourished newborn hippopotamus found alone by fishermen along a riverbank in Puerto Nare municipality, Antioquia.
- The hippos, known as "cocaine hippos," descend from four hippos imported by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, and now about 200 live wild in Colombia, disrupting local ecosystems.
- The rescued hippo was treated for dehydration and malnutrition before being transferred to a sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, Escobar's former estate turned theme park.
- The hippos have no natural predators in Colombia, leading to a population boom that threatens native species and ecosystems, prompting government plans to cull around 80 animals after sterilization efforts failed.
- Efforts to relocate hippos overseas have been considered but are costly, with an estimated $3.5 million needed for deportation.
