The Debate About Pablo Escobar's Hippos

Short Wave

NPR

Science, Life Sciences, News, Nature, Daily News, Astronomy

4.7 • 6.5K Ratings

🗓️ 14 January 2022

⏱️ 14 minutes

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Summary

Pablo Escobar had a private zoo at his estate in Colombia, with zebras, giraffes, flamingoes - and four hippopotamuses. After Escobar was killed in 1993, most of the animals were relocated except for the so-called "cocaine hippos." Authorities thought they would die but they did not and now, about a hundred roam near the estate. Conservationists are trying to control their population because they worry about the people and the environment. But some locals like the hippos and a few researchers say the animals should be left alone and are filling an ecological void. The controversy reflects growing debate in ecology about what an invasive species actually is.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to shortwave from NPR.
0:06.0	Hi short waivers, it's Dan Charles here with science journalist and former shortwave
0:10.0	intern, Russia Aredi.
0:11.5	Hi, Russia.
0:12.5	Hi, Dan.
0:13.5	So here we're talking about an invasive species today.
0:16.4	We are, but this isn't just any old invasive species.
0:20.2	It's really big and incredibly dangerous.
0:23.9	So Burmese pythons in the Everglades?
0:27.5	Nope.
0:28.5	Ferral hogs in Texas.
0:31.8	Also nope.
0:32.8	They are common hippopotamuses.
0:35.3	Pablo Escobar's hippos in fact.
0:38.1	Pablo Escobar, the notorious drug lord, he had hippos.
0:41.8	Yeah, I get ready for a wild ride.
0:44.2	So Escobar started a private zoo at his estate in Columbia, about a hundred miles east of
0:49.2	the city of Medellin.
0:51.1	And he smuggled hundreds of animals like Zebras, flamingos, giraffes, and a handful of hippos.
0:57.0	Wow.
0:58.0	He was killed in 1993.
1:00.6	Most of the animals were relocated.
	...

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