Pablo Escobar's Hippos

[Major Bonkers]

More on the hippos from 'The Guardian':

https://www.theguardian.com/world/a...egacy-pablo-escobar-marauding-hippos-colombia

I have two thoughts: firstly, the article has put me off eating mangoes, at least for a while. Secondly, it's all shits and giggles with these animals - giving them pet names, and so on - but sooner or later someone is going to get killed.

On a personal note, the (Scottish) sea eagle was noted as long ago as the 17th. century as including children in its diet: at some stage a baby crawling on the beach is going to attract the attention of one of these predator-scavengers, and then the great cry will go up, 'We did na ken!'

I wonder whether anyone has ever fed cocaine to these hippos.

 

[BourbonTrail]

I see an opportunity for a sequel…

 

[C.W. Richter]

I see an opportunity for a sequel…
View attachment 629673

When Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch was sitting idle after his death, friends would tell me I should go on Safari there!!! lol

 

[VertigoBE]

More on the hippos from 'The Guardian':

https://www.theguardian.com/world/a...egacy-pablo-escobar-marauding-hippos-colombia

I have two thoughts: firstly, the article has put me off eating mangoes, at least for a while. Secondly, it's all shits and giggles with these animals - giving them pet names, and so on - but sooner or later someone is going to get killed.

On a personal note, the (Scottish) sea eagle was noted as long ago as the 17th. century as including children in its diet: at some stage a baby crawling on the beach is going to attract the attention of one of these predator-scavengers, and then the great cry will go up, 'We did na ken!'

I wonder whether anyone has ever fed cocaine to these hippos.

I've just read through most of the article, especially all the effort and money involved trying to neuter these hippo's.

The correct and most cost effective solution still seems to be inviting a gang of AH members for a season.

 

[Major Bonkers]

Another article on this subject. (You need to click on the 'X' of the pop-up window asking you to subscribe in order to read the whole thing for free.)

The hippos are facing a genetic bottleneck, as the current population descended from three females and a single male, and the author suggests importing new animals and bloodlines. Good luck with that: it seems unlikely given the easier option available to politicians and conservations of doing nothing.

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/could-pablo-escobars-hippos-save-colombias-ecosystem/

 

[PCC600]

I recall a similar issue with hippos in Australia’s Northern Territory some years back . A wealthy businessman bought Tipperary a 2.5 million acre cattle station and filled it with thousands of African animals . He went broke . The property fell into disrepair , animals escaped and the government had to get in shooters . The hippos were the last to go. He also had to liquidate an extraordinary collection of English big game rifles .

 

[Major Bonkers]

More:

Colombia to cull up to 80 hippos descended from Pablo Escobar zoo

 

[Acopperdawg]

They should sell the hunts. Probably get some takers.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I cannot believe India was contemplating taking sixty of them. Crazy. Well okay ... with the recent influx (understatement!) of East Indian migrants into my area I guess I can understand the lack of logic. Not something I have observed that runs very deeply in that culture. But then again, I am an American and given current events I don't expect many in India think we are the brightest culture in the world either.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

They should sell the hunts. Probably get some takers.

They could give away the hunts and I'd not be interested. Colombia is not a five-star tourist destination. I expect getting guns in and out of that country would be difficult if not impossible and I wouldn't go there to sit on the beach without protection.

 

[C.W. Richter]

I can picture the big clouds of white powder blowing out of the nostrils upon impact....IF it runs, follow the white lines!! They are rumored to get angry and quip out in broken English, things like "What are you looking at?," "You wanna F with me?," and "Say Hello, my little friend!" Ahhh Columbia, I hear Rick Steves is making his romantic getaway photo safari video there now....

 

[C.W. Richter]

How ironic that a guy in his chosen career path created a wildlife explosion, though!

 

[Spartan5]

It would certainly be a memorable hunt. And close enough to put together a charter plane. Get in, take care of business, get out.

 

[C.W. Richter]

Airstrip conveniently located on premises. lol (Just like a number of FL ranches frequented by hunters now!)

 

[RootballExpress]

The easy and cheap solution would be to hold a raffle on AfricaHunting.com and sell tickets to go hunt them. One season would do it I think.

I’d love to get a package deal and get to go get 3-4 of them in one trip