environment
May 9, 2026
The Cross-Examined Hippopotamus
What is happening with the hippos brought from Africa by drug trafficker Pablo Escobar and located in the Magdalena Medio region is merely a reflection of the precariousness with which environmental entities often act, ending up going in circles around the problem without solving anything.
TL;DR
- Hippos introduced by Pablo Escobar are rapidly multiplying in Colombia's Magdalena Medio region.
- Environmental entities are criticized for their inaction and inability to solve the problem effectively.
- Previous opportunities to manage the hippo population, such as sterilization or international acquisition, were missed.
- The hippo issue reflects a larger pattern of environmental degradation and ineffective environmental governance in Colombia.
- There is a call for agile environmental authorities, a clear environmental framework law, and technical criteria over political influence.