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Solving Colombia's Hippo problem humanely
#1
Colombia has a Hippo problem because drug lord Pablo Escobar wanted an exotic animal collection.  He brought in one male and three female Hippopotamuses.
After his death the animals were unattended. The Hippos made it to the Magdalena River and now there are about 140 of them. They are doing a lot of damage and they are dangerous. They have no natural enemies in Colombia so their numbers will continue to grow. Leaving them alone is not a good solution. Who knows how far they could spread and how much they could multiply. A cull is inhumane. They didn't ask to be there. The solution is wildlife veterinarian, Carlos Valderrama.
He is castrating the hippos, one at a time. So far eleven have been dealt with and about twenty more still need to be done. 

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/pab...-1.6627595

This is like a TNR program for hippos. Catch, neuter, release! It works for stray cats in big cities. Why wouldn't it work for hippos. As they reduce the number of fertile males, the number of baby hippos should decline. Eventually they will die out. It is not fast, but it is effective and humane.
The hippos just want to live out their lives in peace. This is the best solution. I wonder if it would work in other places that have problems with invasive species.
It is worth thinking about.
[Image: IMG_9091.JPG]
Catherine

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