Pablo's Hippos In The Wild
A Legacy of Cocaine and Ecological Chaos
Fun fact: Colombia is the only country outside of Africa where hippos live in the wild.
Why?
Well, Pablo Escobar, the infamous drug lord, had a weird hobby: he liked to collect exotic animals. In this way he enjoyed showing off his wealth and power.
In the 1980s, Escobar brought a variety of wildlife, including four hippos from Texas, to his extravagant estate in Doradal, Antioquia.
Doradal is a small town located about 165 km from Medellín. The town is situated in the Magdalena Medio region and is known for its proximity to various tourist attractions, including the former Hacienda Nápoles of Pablo Escobar.
Hacienda Nápoles
Hacienda Nápoles was like Escobar's personal theme park. He filled it with different beasts from around the world. He owned elephants, zebras, lions, tigers, camels, buffaloes, kangaroos, flamingos, and ostriches.
This place was huge, with its own airstrip and fake lakes. Imagine a zoo/resort, but run by a billionaire criminal.
Pablo even tried to bring in giraffes, but they were unable to adapt to Antioquia's climate and refused to eat, dying shortly after arrival.
When he died in 1993, most of his animals went to proper zoos. The hippos, however, stayed put. Nobody knew what to do with them (and still don't).
These African animals eventually managed to escape into the Magdalena River, one of the country's main fluvial channels. With lots of water, warm weather, and no lions or crocodiles to annoy them, they seem to love that place. One of the primary problems is this. In Colombia, they have no natural predators.
Fast forward to the present day, and those four hippos have grown into a very large family. There are approximately 100 to 130 hippos roaming around Antioquia. These animals prefer the wilderness but sometimes they can be seen near the town of Doradal. Some have even ventured to other areas of Colombia.
As one would expect, these hippos are causing a lot of trouble. They destroy farmers' crops, pollute the water, and on rare occasions become roadkill. Local scientists are worried that if nothing is done, there could be 1,000 hippos by 2035.
The government has tried to fix this (to no avail). They have sterilized some hippos, and thought about sending some to other countries. But it isn't working well enough. These efforts are slow and expensive, and they simply cannot keep up with the rate at which hippos breed. Each sterilization costs about $9,800 USD and is pretty risky for both the hippo and the vets.
Most people now believe that hunting is the only way to quickly control their populations. Conservation efforts have been like attempting to empty the ocean with a spoon. They're simply not enough. Hunting may be the only viable solution, even if it makes some people uncomfortable.
A funny story: some locals, always looking to make some money, tried to make chicharrón (crispy pork rinds) from hippo meat. It was gross.
But they're not giving up. Now, they're thinking about making hippo leather goods. Colombians know how to hustle!
Doradal Today
There are several options for getting to Doradal from Medellín, including taking a bus, hiring a private driver, or booking a tour through a tour agency. The journey takes approximately 3.5 hours.
You can easily visit Hacienda Nápoles, which is now a theme park. It's located just 5 minutes by car from Doradal. The park offers various attractions, including a safari through a nature reserve, a hippo exhibit, a Jurassic Park-themed area, and water parks.
Once in Doradal, you can also explore the "Colombian Santorini," officially known as Aldea Doradal, a neighborhood designed to resemble the famous Greek island with its white buildings and blue accents.
To make the most of your visit, consider staying overnight in Doradal, as there's plenty to see and do in the area, including the nearby Río Claro Natural Reserve.
If you want to see more of Antioquia, grab the Medellín Unmapped Guide: 160 pages on Medellín and Greater Antioquia region. No fluff, just solid info on places to go and things to do. For people who want to really experience Colombia.