Criminal Los Hipopótamos
Jul 19, 2024
Jorge Caraballo discusses Pablo Escobar smuggling hippos into Colombia in the 1980s, leading to a hippo population boom. The podcast covers Escobar's criminal empire, life amidst drug violence in Colombia, and the challenges of sterilizing hippos in the region.
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Hippos' Unique Biology and Danger
- Hippos have protective skin secretions that act like sweat to prevent burns when out of water.
- They weigh as much as large SUVs and are one of the most dangerous land mammals, causing hundreds of human deaths annually.
Childhood Visits to Escobar's Zoo
- Dr. Gina Paolo Serna visited Pablo Escobar's Hacienda Nopales zoo as a child, fascinated by the animals.
- As a kid, she mostly remembered elephants and big animals, not the hippos, and didn't know the zoo was Escobar's.
Escobar's Dual Perception
- Pablo Escobar was both a notorious drug lord and a philanthropist known as the 'paisa robinhood'.
- He built neighborhoods and gave money freely, gaining popularity and local support despite his criminal activities.