Invasive ‘Cocaine Hippos’ to Cost $3.5 Million to Relocate

[IceWizard]

Invasive ‘Cocaine Hippos’ to Cost $3.5 Million to Relocate










You know about Cocaine Bear. You might have even heard about Meth Gator. Now get ready for
Cocaine Hippos. This time, though, it’s not a movie – it’s a real-life problem the Colombian
government is currently facing.

The country is making plans to relocate 70 “cocaine hippos” descended from notorious drug
trafficker Pablo Escobar’s private menagerie. This task is easier said than done, however, as
the massive relocation project will cost around $3.5 million to complete.

According to a statement released Wednesday, the relocation is part of a deal the local Antioquia
government signed to quell the out-of-control cocaine hippo population. Officials’ best efforts
to control the rise using castrations and “shots” of contraceptive darts have had little effect,
forcing them to take more costly actions.

Wildlife officials will transport the hippos to two different countries: Mexico and India.
The Ostok Sanctuary in Mexico is taking in 10 hippos, while a sanctuary in India is welcoming
the remaining 60. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to return the animals to their native Africa as
it could wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.

In addition to the cost of transport, the deal allocates resources to build boxes and cover air
transport costs. As of now, there are around 130-160 cocaine hippos, a far cry from the
original four.

At first, it was just one male and three females, the four hippos living in Pablo Escobar’s former
ranch of Hacienda Napoles. As the population grew, however, they slowly spread and now inhabit
areas far beyond their original home.



Colombia’s Cocaine Hippos Pose Major Threat to
Ecosystem, Local Residents



The original four were part of a large population of exotic animals living on the ranch, including giraffes,
elephants, ostriches, and many other non-native species. After Escobar’s death in 1993, authorities
relocated the majority of the animals to safer homes. The hippos, however, remained – they were
simply too difficult to remove.

The decision to allow four hippos to stay in Colombia has now devolved into a major issue. It’s not
only unsafe for residents (hippos are among the most dangerous animals on Earth) but creates a
massive environmental concern. The unruly cocaine hippos feast on fish, taking precious resources
from endemic species such as manatees, otters, and turtles.

“Because they have no natural predators here, as they would in Africa, the population is booming
and it’s affecting the local ecosystem,” Colombia resident and independent journalist Audrey Huse
told CBS. “Because they are such large animals, they consume considerable amounts of grassland
and produce significant waste, which then poisons the rivers.”

Environmental concerns aside, they’ve also been known to attack locals who venture too close.
Last year, a fisherman named Alvaro Molina was in a canoe on a local river when one of the females
attacked him. According to Molina, she had recently given birth and was extra territorial as a result.

Other locals, however, say that the cocaine hippos don’t confine themselves to the waters of Colombia.
They often venture into the streets of the town, stopping traffic and endangering pedestrians.

[Charon]

cocaine hippos. yeah send them to mexico where there is no cocaine. BS/