Colombia Authorizes Culling of Up to 80 Descendants of Escobar’s Hippos

Overview

• The environment ministry, which unveiled the plan Monday, approved euthanizing up to 80 animals and set a 7.2 billion peso budget, with operations expected in the second half of 2026.
• A technical protocol allows drug overdoses after tranquilization or a certified high‑power rifle shot, with each euthanasia estimated at about 50 million pesos, not counting carcass disposal.
• No foreign zoos or sanctuaries have agreed to take the hippos after talks with countries including India and Mexico, with officials citing inbreeding in the herd and high transport costs.
• Authorities count roughly 169–200 hippos along the Magdalena River and project more than 1,000 by 2035, warning of polluted water, damaged banks, and risks to manatees, river turtles, and nearby residents.
• Animal‑rights advocates, including Senator Andrea Padilla, denounced the plan as cruel, while the government says earlier sterilization and other efforts failed to slow growth.