Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord. He made over $250 million weekly, he was worth around $30 billion. His mansion contained zoos, lakes, airports, and more.

As mentioned above, he had a private zoo, and in 1981, he illegally purchased four hippos for his zoo.

When he died in December of 1993, all animals were obtained by collectors, except for his four hippos. These hippos escaped from his territory and wandered into the Colombian environment. Since then, the hippos have multiplied and reproduced. It was in 2007 people began noticing these hippos.

These were the only wild hippos outside of Africa.

Some people stole the hippo calves and kept them for themselves. Others suggested cooking and eating them. Many people wanted to get rid of them.

It turns out, however, that these hippos were actually good for the environment. Their poo was good fertilizer and it enriched the ecosystem. They are also helping to bring back habitats lost due to native megafauna going extinct.

Now, there are an estimated 80 of these hippos, and it’s expected that there is going to be thousands in 20 to 40 years.

Read more on hippopedia.home.blog