Pablo Escobar’s Hippos
The story of Pablo Escobar is as fascinating as it is controversial, but there’s an aspect of his life that often gets overlooked: his love for exotic animals, particularly hippos. Yes, you read that right, hippos!
Imagine the scene: a handsome man, an adorable rascal with curly hair and prepubescent mustaches, wearing a wild shirt while smiling behind a hippo. It almost seems like a joke, but the truth is that Escobar really had a soft spot for these majestic animals.
During the 1980s, at the height of his power as a drug lord, Escobar decided to bring hippos to Colombia. Yes, you read that right. It wasn’t a bizarre fantasy, but a real decision made by the feared leader of the Medellín cartel. Why? Well, because he loved them. He found them beautiful, exotic, and, let’s face it, a little dangerous too.
But what Escobar couldn’t foresee were the consequences of his passion. Hippos, being wild animals and not exactly inclined to abide by human coexistence laws, began to multiply and invade local ecosystems.
Today, Escobar’s hippos have become a real threat to Colombia. With a population ranging from 181 to 215 individuals, these appetite giants are causing increasingly serious problems for local ecosystems.
But that’s not all. Hippos aren’t just big eaters, they’re also big “producers.” Yes, you read that right. Every day, a single hippo can produce up to 5 kg of poop. And with such a large population, imagine the amount of poop these beasts can churn out!
This, of course, has devastating consequences on the environment. Hippo dung contaminates lakes and rivers, causing eutrophication and poisoning the water. Not to mention the fact that hippos are also known for their aggressiveness and can pose a threat to people’s safety.
But there’s hope. Colombian authorities are trying to address the problem by transferring some of the hippos to natural parks in India and Mexico. However, the work is still long and difficult, and the future of Escobar’s hippos remains uncertain.
I’ve concluded that, the story of Escobar’s hippos is a poignant example of the unforeseen consequences of human actions on the environment. From my angle, it reminds us that even the most extravagant decisions can have serious and lasting consequences. But above all, it reminds us to never underestimate the power of wild nature.
