Pablo Escobar's 'Cocaine Hippos' To Be Moved To Mexico, India — It Will Cost Colombia $3.5M

Colombia's decision to move 70 “cocaine hippos” – that belonged to a drug dealer Pablo Escobar – will cost the country around $3.5 million.

What Happened: Colombia's Antioquia government made an agreement with organizations, including the Colombian Agricultural Institute, the Colombian Air Force, and the Ostok Sanctuary in Mexico, which will be helping with the relocation of the hippos, CNN reported.

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As part of this agreement, 10 hippos will be moved to the Ostok Sanctuary. The other 60 hippos will be moved to a sanctuary in India because it’s not possible to take them back to Africa as it may upset the ecosystem there. 

Under the agreement, resources will be provided to make boxes and pay for air transport costs for the giant animals. There has been a steep increase in the population of hippos despite the government’s attempts to control it by using contraceptives.

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According to Colombian government estimates, there are between 130 to 160 hippos and the population has spread beyond Escobar's former ranch of Hacienda Napoles – where the hippos started with only one male and three females. 

The hippos were part of Escobar's collection of exotic animals on his ranch, located approximately 250 kilometers from Medellin. After his death, the authorities relocated most of the animals, except for the hippos, because it was too challenging to move them.

"We're looking to save the lives of hippos, but also to protect the lives of people in the Magdalena Medio region," Anibal Gaviria, governor of the Antioquia Department, said in a press conference on Wednesday.

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