Colombian officials have approved a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely in the country’s central region, where they threaten rural communities and displace native species.
Environment Minister Irene Velez said up to 80 hippos could be affected after other population control methods, including sterilization and relocation, proved costly and ineffective. No start date has been set.
“If we do not act, we will not be able to control their population,” Velez said, adding the move is needed to protect ecosystems.
Colombia is the only country outside Africa with a wild hippo population. The animals descend from four hippos — one male and three females — brought in the 1980s by drug lord Pablo Escobar for his private zoo at Hacienda Napoles in the Magdalena River valley.
A 2022 study by the National University of Colombia estimated about 170 hippos in the wild, with some now seen more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the original area.
Authorities say the animals pose risks to residents and compete with native species such as manatees for food and habitat.
Despite this, the hippos have become a tourist draw around Hacienda Napoles, now a theme park.
Animal welfare groups oppose the cull, saying the animals should be protected and warning the move could harm Colombia’s image.
Efforts over the past decade to curb the population through sterilization have been limited due to high costs and the difficulty of capturing the animals. Relocation to Africa has also been ruled out due to disease risks and their limited gene pool.