Scott Mc Kiernan Presents zReportage.com Issue #1015 Story of the Week: Published: TUESDAY November 25, 2025: ‘Cocaine Hippos’ Drug Lords Lasting Legacy Photography and Story by ZUMA Press photographer Zoraida Diaz: In the late 70’s, the drug baron smuggled 4 of the huge creatures into South America for his private estate. And they have been multiplying ever since. Escobar’s hippos were never intended to represent anything beyond his wealth and ambition. Yet after his death in 1993, and the abandonment of Hacienda Napoles estate, these four animals survived. They escaped or were released into the wild, finding the Magdalena River and its tributaries to be an ideal habitat. With year-round fresh water, abundant grazing lands, and critically, an absence of natural predators, the hippo population exploded exponentially. Environmental officials advocate for translocation of hippos to facilities with proper resources, while some locals, particularly those profiting from tourism, argue against eradication. Now officials are taking drastic action to tackle the problem. Welcome to ‘Cocaine Hippos’ Drug Lords Lasting Legacy
#zumapress #zreportage #reportage #journalism
ZUMAland.com 