Colombia's Hippo Dilemma: Escobar's Legacy

0:00It's April 29th. This is Global News Today, your AI-powered source for world news. Columbia is dealing with a wild legacy from Pablo Escobar. Back in the 1980s, the drug lord imported four hippos for his private zoo. Now their descendants number around 200, roaming rivers like the Magdalena as an invasive species with no natural enemies. Officials warn the population could explode to 500 by 2030 without action. The environment ministry just approved a control plan kicking off later this year. It targets about 80 hippos through euthanasia as a last resort alongside options like corralling them or transferring to foreign zoos. Meanwhile, the animals have spread over thousands of square kilometers, thriving in the local climate. Locals are split down the middle. In Porto Triumpho, restaurant owners and tour guides fear losing their hippo spotting business that draws hundreds of visitors monthly. They see the hippos as homegrown Colombians after three decades here and threaten protests.

1:02Fishermen, on the other hand, welcome to Cull, since close encounters have sunk boats and gutted their trade. Scientists back up mix of strategies, citing ecosystem damage from these massive herbivores. But relocation stalled. No countries committed due to high costs and import bans. Euthanasia is no picnic either. It involves luring them into traps for injections or using powerful rifles against their thick hides. As the hippos hold court on their River Island Haven, Colombia grapples with this escobar eco-pitting tourism dollars, safety, and ecology against animal rights in a debate that's only heating up.