Colombia will launch a plan in the second half of 2026 to control its invasive hippopotamus population, including euthanising an initial 80 animals, environment minister Irene Velez said on Monday.
The South American country is home to about 200 hippos in the central region near the Magdalena River. If control measures are not adopted, the population could increase to 1,000 by 2035, Velez said.
“We must act to reduce the hippopotamus population. These actions are essential to protect our ecosystems and our native species,” she told journalists, noting that population growth threatens species such as river turtles and manatees and causes water pollution.
“We believe there may be about 80 individuals that could be subject to the measure [euthanasia].”
Colombia’s first four hippos were illegally imported in the 1980s by the late drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, who established a zoo on one of his properties.
The population has since grown largely unchecked, despite some efforts by provincial environmental authorities.
The programme announced on Monday has a budget of 7.2-billion pesos (R32.7m) and includes measures such as confinement and relocation.
Though Colombia began talks months ago with eight governments — including South Africa, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Ecuador and Peru — to possibly transfer some animals to zoos or sanctuaries in those countries, the necessary authorisations have not yet been obtained, Velez said.
The Colombian hippos have genetic defects due to inbreeding, which has reduced some institutions’ interest in them.
Reuters
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