already famous “hippos cocaine”, At least some of these creatures, so named because they belong to the boss Pablo Escobar, can be sacrificed to stop them from spreading in the forest where they are found. These animals have become one Invasive species threatening Colombian ecosystemsThey are expanding very quickly, as the Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development announced this Thursday.
The Colombian Government confirmed this 169 hippos currently live on forest floorsThey have rapidly multiplied from the original population of one male and three females, which the drug lord kept on his farm as part of his private collection of exotic animals.
After Escobar’s death in 1993, authorities moved most of the other animals in the collection, but not the hippos because they were too difficult to move.
There could be 1000 hippos by 2035
The increasing population of these animals, which have no natural predators, poses an environmental problem. According to the statement, the population could reach “1,000 people in 2035” if “strong measures” are not taken to control it.
This new phase of controlling the hippo population includes: The three strategies are: sterilization, translocation and “ethical euthanasia,” the memo states.
“Three strategies need to work simultaneously,” Environment Minister Susana Muhamad said in a statement. “We are in a race against time in terms of the permanent environmental and ecosystem impacts created and therefore it cannot be said that. Only one strategy is effective for our goal of controlling the population“.
In 2021, scientists recommended culling hippos to avoid long-term negative effects, but other scientists called for a sterilization program instead, citing animal welfare concerns.
Four males were spayed and two females were neutered between 2011 and 2019; but this did little to slow the hippos’ progress. Applying birth control to hippos was also ineffective.
It is also planned to move part of the population to India, the Philippines and Mexico.and analyzes the logistics of sending 60 to Indiaaccording to the description.
“We are trying to implement this plan as soon as possible so that the effects are completely eliminated,” Mohammed said.
Sterilization of animals begins
According to the ministry, sterilization will cost the country an average of 40 million Colombian pesos (approximately 10,000 Euros) per animal. It will start next week with the aim of sterilizing 40 people a year.. Spaying a single female is a laborious process as it takes several hours.
The minister concluded his remarks by underlining that hippos have been declared “exotic invaders” with “aggressive properties”: “Their presence represents a threat to ecosystems and risks to the communities that surround them.”
Studies have shown the negative effects of hippo waste on oxygen levels in water bodies, which can affect fish and ultimately humans.
Apart from that, hippos are also It poses a threat to agriculture and the safety of residents in affected areasAccording to a study conducted in 2021, a hippo from Escobar’s collection died after being hit by a vehicle in April.
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Contact address of the environmental department:[email protected]