Visiting the cocaine hippos of Colombia

As a biologist friend from the university where I teach remarked, it seems that Mexican environmental activists are more worried about the Colombian cocaine hippos than the extinction of our vaquita. No wonder we get sanctioned by Cites. Surreal indeed.
 
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Zorro said:
Shame they can't catch the younger ones and sell to zoos world wide?
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Many European hippos are already on birth control because nobody is interested. The European offspring that does happen not rarely ends up in Asia already... So there is absolutely no need for dozens of extra hippos.

It is a real shame that they aren't putting these hippo down, but apparently big cuddly mammals have more "rights" than the native ecosystem.
 
lintworm said:
Many European hippos are already on birth control because nobody is interested. The European offspring that does happen not rarely ends up in Asia already... So there is absolutely no need for dozens of extra hippos.

It is a real shame that they aren't putting these hippo down, but apparently big cuddly mammals have more "rights" than the native ecosystem.
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Well the Australian region is down to 1 male only we take 20 right now! :D
 
lintworm said:
Many European hippos are already on birth control because nobody is interested. The European offspring that does happen not rarely ends up in Asia already... So there is absolutely no need for dozens of extra hippos.
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NA probably has space for 6-8 in decent zoos, but I'd imagine the red tape would be massively difficult to navigate. Probably not worth the hassle when we already have plenty. Catching and shipping out hippos really isn't the easiest solution all around.

lintworm said:
It is a real shame that they aren't putting these hippo down, but apparently big cuddly mammals have more "rights" than the native ecosystem.
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Yeah, there needs to be a more effective means of control, even if lethal. But unfortunately familiar and cuddly looking mammals once again are getting above board treatment... Where is the line of serious action drawn? Only once the affected rivers are on the verge of full out collapse?
 
lintworm said:
Many European hippos are already on birth control because nobody is interested. The European offspring that does happen not rarely ends up in Asia already... So there is absolutely no need for dozens of extra hippos.

It is a real shame that they aren't putting these hippo down, but apparently big cuddly mammals have more "rights" than the native ecosystem.
Click to expand...

The NY Times articles notes that the Columbian military went out to eradicate the hippos, shot one, and then posted pictures of its corpse on social media, and sparked an animal rights furor that shut down that operation.
 
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Great Argus said:
Yeah, there needs to be a more effective means of control, even if lethal. But unfortunately familiar and cuddly looking mammals once again are getting above board treatment... Where is the line of serious action drawn? Only once the affected rivers are on the verge of full out collapse?
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I realize this is probably more rhetorical, but I would say people will be fine with the river collapse as long as it doesn't start affecting humans, after which point it may become about how we should've taken care of the hippos years and years ago and some blamed party did not do more or care enough. The Great Lakes' ecosystem is under constant threat from invasive carp, there's been some serious publicity and most people are not concerned about it, and I think a lot of this is because ultimately what fish are in the lake isn't something most humans will care to notice.

I also think that not many people have enough understanding of South American ecosystems (let alone Colombian specifically) to understand the depth of threat the animals pose. I don't think most people could identify a single species that might be victimized in this situation as quickly as they could identify a hippopotamus. If you had photographs of local wildlife, other cute and cuddly animals, being gored by hippopotamus tusks, I think it might change a lot of people's tune by putting a face and a 'victim' to the ecological damage they are inflicting.
 
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