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Colombia is handling the most invasive species in the world because of Pablo Escobar, the most infamous and successful drug lords in history. Hippos have taken over Escabors former pueblo and are repopulation rapidly. While the hippopotamus is portrayed in western media as an innocuous animal, this species poses a threat to the environment and local communities. The public must hold the Colombian government accountable for handling a safe and efficient method of extraction for the endangered and dangerous hippos.
Escobar led an entire empire of cocaine production and trafficking that transcended the world.
With the drug money he acquired, Escobar was inclined to build a private zoo. Howard, National Geographic’s environmental and science writer, states that Escarbar imported smuggled exotic animals such as “lions, ostriches, giraffes, elephants [ect]. Escobar also procured four hippos — three females and a male who would later be named 'El Viejo,' or 'The Old One' — from a California zoo”(Howard). In 1993, Escobar was shot and killed in a gunfight with the police which left nobody to watch over these animals.
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The government reclaimed his estate and redistributed all the animals into zoos, except for the hippopotami. Since no action was taken, they started to procreate, creating a problem for the surrounding community and the environment.
The Hippopotamus amphibius are semi-aquatic megaherbivore mammals native to Africa. These animals consume about 50 kg of terrestrial vegetation a day. After foraging, these animals will return to the water and spend the majority of their day sleeping and defecating.
In Colombia, after being left behind, the hippos were left to survive on their own. Now the hippos are living freely and reproducing rapidly, at a rate of about six percent a year” (Howard). There is also evidence of smaller herds of hippos and individuals moving through the Magdalena River to other areas, including Puerto Berrio and Boyaca (Howard). Today there are about 50 hippos that roam freely through Colombia. In Africa, there are usually droughts that slow down the proliferation of the hippos. However, droughts are a very rare occurrence in Colombia, therefore the population will continue to grow rapidly. Due to the lack of a natural predator, their sexual activity that ensues earlier in their lives enables them to find more food, water, and tranquility.
While scientist have performed studies to “determine that many fish and insects feed off hippo dung—a practice known as coprophagia” (Emerson). This suggests that this species has a huge role in both the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Since many creatures depend on the hippo's excretions for food and nutrients, Some have even argued that hippos help fertilize the waters and helping to improve the environment. Nevertheless, Keenan Stears, part of the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology at the University of California states that “Hippopotami influence the biogeochemistry and ecology of water ecosystems by excreting terrestrially derived organic matter into these systems” (Stears). These are impacts that are strongly controlled by hydrology; the circulation of water on Earth. Stear’s study showed that the hippos altered the nutrient content, which promoted eutrophication “-an overabundance of nutrients, which can lead to blooms of algae or other harmful microorganisms-”(Stears). As a result, this affected the biodiversity of the aquatic ecosystem and there has been evidence of dead fish due to eutrophication. Typically, this happens when the temperatures rise, due to the lack of oxygen in the water (Howard). Colombia is one of the most biodiverse places on earth. A rapidly growing invasive species population means a disruption in biodiversity. As stated in Ketlhatlogile’s scholarly article Fish, Floods, and Ecosystem Engineers in BioScience magazine, “By simply moving their massive bodies through muddy areas, they can create channels for water flow that alter the structure of wetlands” (Ketlhatlogile 54). Invasive species are a top cause for a loss in biodiversity and biologists have already noticed that the hippos’ presence is reshaping these ecosystems. And this is not just a threat to the environment, it is also threatening local communities.
In contrast to what is portrayed in Western media, hippopotami are amongst the most dangerous creatures, as they possess one of the highest human death rates in Africa (Ramsey). As the hippo population spreads, they are coming in contact with more people. Many people in these communities are unaware of how dangerous these animals are. Hippos damage farmer’s crops and are a threat to humans. The data relating to hippos incidents in Caprivi, Namibia shown in Fig. 1. In the year 2003, the number of hippo incidents in Caprivi has increased to 263 compared to 68 in 2001. It is estimated that the value of damage to crops by hippos from 1995- 2000 for the whole Kwando River region is about $20,000 per year (Martin). This has serious effects on the community’s household livelihoods. Hippopotami are charismatic, however, they threaten the environment and local communities. Nobody has been injured by these hippos, nonetheless, action must be taken before something happens.
Over the past few years, the Colombian government has rigorously worked to fix the issue of hippo overpopulation; this effort is supported by many conservationists. There are many proposed solutions to fix this invasive species’ problem: build a blockade, castrate the males, hunt the hippos, and relocation. First, Colombia attempted to build fences with barbed wire and rock walls. The hippos were persistent and would proceed to jump and run over these blockades, suffering only a few minor scratches due to their very thick skin. Upon their first failed attempt, they next tried to castrate the males to stop them from reproducing. However, tranquilizing and castrating hippos is dangerous, time-consuming, and expensive. A single young hippo was successfully moved to a “Columbian zoo in early September, but it cost 15 million pesos, or about $5,000 USD” (Wilcox). This method of trying to rid Colombia of this invasive species is too costly for the Colombia government. In June of 2009, the government hired a team of poachers to try to kill the hippos. The Colombian soldiers posted a picture on the internet posing next to the dead hippopotamus that had escaped from a ranch once owned by the drug lord Pablo Escobar, this resulted in a public outcry. The citizens of Colombia along with people worldwide were inclined to resist the idea of hunting and killing the hippos. In response, a federal judge made it illegal to hunt hippos. The last solution was to relocate the hippos by collaborating with organizations around the world who were willing to take them in. As of 2019, they are still in the process of executing. Since they lack the necessary budget for their conservation, it has hindered the process. The best solution is to relocate these animals since they are an invasive species, and with the help of these organizations, these Colombian hippos will no longer pose as a threat to the environment or the people.
After Pablo Escobar was killed the Colombian government was left with a group of hippos. These hippos have grown to become the most invasive species in Colombia today, resulting in the endangerment of local communities and the environment. Currently, there are three primary solutions that are capable of solving this issue; each of which possess a varying degree of effectiveness. The most realistic being the relocation of these animals to a secure, controlled environment.
Colombia is One of the most Biodiverse Places on Earth.. (2022, Feb 28). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/colombia-is-one-of-the-most-biodiverse-places-on-earth-essay
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