Gelding Narco-Hippos On Smithsonian

Wednesday, January 8th, 2020

Notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s brutal regime ended in a hail of bullets. His infamous reign of terror – dramatised in Narcos – left Colombia with the legacy of a corrupt narco-state and something more bizarre: African hippos. In the 1980s, Escobar smuggled four hippos into Colombia to join his growing collection of exotic animals at his $63 million estate outside Medellin. Left to fend for themselves in the wake of his death, these extremely dangerous beasts broke out and have become the world’s largest alien invasive species.

Today, breeding at twice their typical rate and with no natural predators keeping them in check, more than 60 roam the Colombian wilds, wreaking havoc in villages at night and threatening the ecosystem that feeds into the Amazon river. Surprisingly, Colombians adore their hippos despite these dangers and it’s illegal to cull them. Left with no other option, Colombian vet Dr. Gina Serna is tasked with capturing and sterilising the hippos – an operation never before performed in the wild in Colombia,

but caught on camera by a British filmmaker in The Hunt For Escobar’s Hippos (January 8th, 8pm).

BACK TO NEWS

What the industry says about US

Discovery Networks

Discovery Networks appointed Global Listings to create a new system for efficient and cost-effective delivery of all its UK & EMEA programme schedules and highlights to the media, PR agencies and business partners (in both English and translated formats). Global Listings has built up a solid understanding of our business and its teams have developed a strong and proactive relationship with our EMEA local offices.

Horse & Country TV, Europe

Global Listings are a key strategic partner for H&C TV as we build our channel business in Sweden. They ensure that we provide our distributors with a comprehensive, accurate and professional service at all times. They clearly understand our business priorities and have shown themselves willing, and able, to support us in meeting them.