Colombia to Sterilize Pablo Escobar's 'Cocaine Hippos'

When the Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993, most of the animals he had imported as pets — zebras, giraffes, kangaroos and rhinoceroses — died or were transferred to zoos.

But not his four hippopotamuses. They thrived. Perhaps a little too well.

Officials estimate that about 170 hippos, descended from Mr. Escobar's original herd, now roam Colombia, and the population could grow to 1,000 by 2035, posing a serious threat to the country's ecosystem.

This month, after years of debate about what to do with the voracious herbivores, Colombian officials announced a plan to sterilize some, possibly euthanize others and relocate some to sanctuaries in other countries. On Friday, one official said that four hippos — two adult females and two juvenile males — had already been surgically sterilized.

"We are in a race against time in terms of permanent environmental and ecosystem impacts," Susana Muhamad, Colombia's environmental minister, said in a statement.

Colombian officials describe the hippos as an aggressive and invasive species with no natural predators.

Mr. Escobar brought the first four to his lavish estate, Hacienda Nápoles, in the 1980s as part of a wild animal menagerie he used to entertain guests.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber? Log in.

Want all of The Times? Subscribe.