Hippo Heaven

Question: Where can you find the biggest hippo herd outside of Africa all thanks to a notorious criminal?

Answer: Colombia

In 2007, fishermen in rural Colombia 200 miles northwest of Bogotá began reporting sightings of a very peculiar animal in the river they fished. They had never seen anything like it before with its small ears and massive mouth. Well, the animal turned out to be a hippopotamus, native only to Africa—and there were a lot more of them around.

These hippo sightings are all thanks to Pablo Escobar’s nefarious dealings more than 30 years ago. Before he was killed in 1993, he decided to create his own personal zoo, smuggling in exotic animals from all over the world. Among them, elephants, giraffes, and hippos—a now-invasive species in Colombia. They are sometimes referred to as the "cocaine hippos" because of their origin.

After Escobar’s death, the zoo was dismantled and all of the animals except for the hippos were brought to wildlife sanctuaries across the country. It was a logistical nightmare to capture and move the massive and aggressive beings. Instead, authorities left four hippos behind (one male and three females) thinking they would eventually die out. But boy, were they wrong.

Now, more than 30 years later, the four hippos have multiplied to an estimated 80 to 120. Some still live in the overgrown remains of the zoo while many others have paddled beyond to other bodies of water. Their population spans across 8,300 square miles of Colombia, primarily in the Magdalena River Basin, where thousands of Colombians make a living.

With a moist climate and almost no predators, these lush lowlands have become a hippo heaven. In Africa, where hippos are endangered, seasonal droughts and natural predators keep the population in check. However, conditions are so ideal in their new home that they have thrived. So much so that they’ve even started reproducing at younger ages.

As the population expands exponentially year after year, the situation grows more and more out of control—scientists say numbers could reach 1,400 animals in the next 10 to 20 years. Unfortunately, the migrants pose big problems to Colombia’s ecosystem. Scientists are concerned the hippos could displace Colombia’s endangered native species. Their waste may also change the chemical composition of the waterways, harming fisheries. They are also known to be very aggressive and some of the deadliest creatures in the world. Luckily, there has not been a single death from a hippopotamus in Colombia.

So what can be done about the hippos? It’s quite a polarizing issue. Some experts suggest culling about 30 hippos per year to decrease the population, but locals have taken kindly to their new neighbors and do not want to see them harmed. Another option is sterilizing the hippos, but this is a difficult and expensive procedure due to their massive size. Shipping the animals back to Africa was also proposed, however, they have adapted to life in South America.

For now, locals have come to love the intruders and their contribution to tourism in the nation. They just make sure to give them lots of space.

Hungry Hippos: More Facts about Hippopotamuses:

• Hippos are the second largest land animal on Earth (behind the elephant). They can measure up to 11 feet in length and more than 8,000 pounds.


• In the sweltering heat, hippos spend most of their days in rivers and lakes with only their eyes and ears above water to best regulate their temperature. They sweat an oily red liquid that protects their skin from drying out and acts as a sort of sunblock.


• They are most active at night when they forage for food. They are herbivores and eat mostly grass. In just one night they can eat 77 pounds of it!


• Despite their massive size, they are speedy creatures. They can run up to 30 miles per hour both on land in the water.


• Technically, they don’t swim. They always maintain some contact with the bottom of the riverbed and walk or bounce off the bottom in a series of high, prancing steps.


• Hippos usually live in groups of about 20 or more animals led by one dominant male. A herd of hippos can go by various collective nouns such as a herd, a pod, and even a bloat.


• They are very vocal creatures and use a series of noises to communicate with one another. Their honks, whines, and squeaks have been known to resemble the sound of human laughter at times.


• In the wild, they typically live around 40 years. In captivity, they can reach up to 50 years old.

Keep your eyes peeled for hippos when you join us on the Colombia post-trip extension to Machu Picchu & the Galápagos.