Colombia's cocaine hippos problem

[gh]

https://www.joe.co.uk/news/colombian-government-forced-to-sterilise-cocaine-hippos-294367

[Atticus]

https://www.joe.co.uk/news/colombian...-hippos-294367

Best line:

they have toxic urine and feces that causes algae blooms, and have the potential to wreak havoc on the local ecosystem, polluting waterways and dominating other species as they have no predators to control their numbers.

[jazzcyclist]

What are their predators in Africa? Why can't they just allow hunters to control their population the way wildlife & fisheries do in the U.S.?

[gm]

What are their predators in Africa? Why can't they just allow hunters to control their population the way wildlife & fisheries do in the U.S.?

Except for baby hippos, those big ol' beasts don't really have any predators besides humans.

[El Toro]

Except for baby hippos, those big ol' beasts don't really have any predators besides humans.

But isn't that the way with all predators/prey? They don't tackle the prime of life animal, they kill and eat the small, the unwary and the old and feeble.

[gm]

But isn't that the way with all predators/prey? They don't tackle the prime of life animal, they kill and eat the small, the unwary and the old and feeble.

Walter the Wildebeest might disagree.

Ain't no one attacking an adult hippo except humans.

[Trickstat]

I don't think hippos are hunted that much. I'm not sure if anyone eats them or uses their skin and there is no ivory for poachers. They are actually rather dangerous for humans to be in close proximity to.

[18.99s]

What are their predators in Africa? Why can't they just allow hunters to control their population the way wildlife & fisheries do in the U.S.?

The people opposed it. From the article:

Previous plans to cull the herd received widespread opposition from the local population, so now a local environment agency has started sterilising them, using drugs from Washington.