Hippos are invasive alien species in The South American country of Colombia. And their appearance is also related to drug lords.
According to the British "Guardian" reported on the 25th, the 4 hippos "imported" by Pablo Escobar, the former big drug lord of Colombia, have been breeding wildly in Medellín, Colombia for many years, and the number of known hippos has reached 80 to 120, which not only seriously damages biodiversity, but also affects the safety of local people. The Colombian government is also considering culling or neutering these "cocaine hippos".
But the move upset some animal protection groups in the United States. Following the group's appeal, U.S. courts recently ruled that the hippos could be considered "people" or "stakeholders" with legal rights in the United States. However, a legal expert said the ruling did not make any sense in Colombia.
A U.S. court ruled that the "cocaine hippopotamus" was also human. Source: The Guardian
Hippos are reportedly invasive species in Colombia, local residents refer to these hippos as "cocaine hippos", since Escobar was killed in 1993, illegally imported animals in zoos have been largely confiscated by the Colombian government, but these "cocaine hippos" have remained and bred wildly without natural enemies, and in the past 8 years, the number of hippos has gradually risen from 35 to 80.
These "cocaine hippos" were illegally taken to Colombia and held in custody at the Escobar Zoo, built on a Neapolitan estate along the Magdalena River (Hacienda Napoles). The Escobar Zoo is home to nearly 200 animals, including rhinos, giraffes and zebras.
Hippos in the lake at the private estate of former drug lord Escobar. Source: The Associated Press
According to Colombian biology professor Enrique Zelda Ordonez, whose populations are growing rapidly and pose a threat to biodiversity, he said: "Obviously, you can't let these hippos continue to breed, they have inexhaustible food and water, and they can even jump out of the river and graze with cows." ”
According to the Guardian reported on the 23rd, local fishermen are also often attacked by hippos, and in May 2020, a 45-year-old man was seriously injured by a hippo attack. Moreover, due to the rapid breeding of hippos, fishermen's fish production has declined. Numerous fishermen have called for the Colombian government to kill the hippos as soon as possible, however, U.S. animal rights activists and environmentalists have tried to protect the hippos, strongly protesting any culling of animals.
Escobar's zoo. Source: The Associated Press
Christopher Berry, lead counsel of the Animal Law Defense Foundation (ALDF), turned to the Cincinnati court in Ohio to grant hippopotamus "stakeholder" status, and on October 15, Cincinnati's federal judge Karen Litkovitz approved the request.
According to Berry, there is a U.S. law that allows U.S. courts to record representations in foreign litigation to assist "interested parties." Today, U.S. courts have granted hippopotamus "stakeholder" status. Therefore, it is possible for the animal or its legal representative to apply to the U.S. court for expert support.
"This is a huge step forward in representing the interests of animals in court, we're not asking for new laws, we're just asking for animals to have the ability to enforce the rights that have been given to them," Berry said. ”
An animal rights group hailed the order as a landmark victory for the U.S. justice system in granting animal "stakeholder" status. But one legal expert said the order didn't make any sense in Colombia.
For the ruling of the U.S. Federal Court, Camilo Burbano Cifuentes, a professor of criminal law at the University of Estnado in Colombia, said: "The ruling has no impact on Colombia and the Colombian authorities will decide what to do with the hippos, not the U.S. authorities." ”
According to biologist Robin Boches, "I have helped the Colombian government obtain a donation of 70 sterilization injections from the USDA. Otherwise, it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed by a hippopotamus. ”
It is reported that the cost of sterilization of each hippopotamus is about 7,000 US dollars (about 44,000 yuan), and the sterilization is so high because hippos sink in rivers most of the time, and hippos only appear at night, so the surgery must be performed after dark.
I was scared to sterilize the "cocaine hippopotamus.". Source: The Guardian
At the same time, the reproductive organs of hippos are in the body, therefore, veterinarians must perform invasive surgery to sterilize hippos, and to date, 24 hippos have been used for sterilization.
According to Gina Paola Serna, a Colombian biologist who was very afraid to sterilize these "cocaine hippos", she said: "The first time I worked with hippos, I was scared that these animals were much bigger than we were used to when we worked in Colombia. ”
It is reported that Escobar is a Colombian drug lord, he became famous and rich by producing and smuggling cocaine into the United States for sale, and monopolized 80% of the cocaine smuggling volume in the United States during his heyday. In the 1989 Forbes Rich List, Escobar ranked seventh in the world, worth as much as $30 billion. In 1993, 44-year-old Escobar was shot dead by police in Medellín for resisting arrest.
Former big drug lord Pablo Escobar. Source: Wikipedia
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