Colombia will begin a new program in the second half of 2026 to control its rapidly growing invasive hippopotamus population, including the euthanasia of around 80 animals, as announced on Monday by Environment Minister Irene Vélez.
The country now hosts an estimated 200 hippos in the Magdalena River region, descendants of animals illegally imported in the 1980s by drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. Without intervention, authorities warn the population could surge to as many as 1,000 by 2035, threatening native ecosystems such as river turtles and manatees.
Officials said the plan combines euthanasia, relocation, and containment measures, with limited international support so far for transferring animals to sanctuaries or zoos abroad. Talks have been held with several countries, but no agreements have been finalised.
The government argues that population control is necessary to protect biodiversity and reduce environmental damage, including water pollution linked to the growing herd.
The issue has become one of the world's most unusual conservation challenges, rooted in Escobar's legacy and Colombia's struggle to manage a now-established wild population of non-native hippos.