Target: Carlos Eduardo Correa, Minister of Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
Goal: Use contraceptives rather than culling to mitigate population growth of hippopotamuses.
A revolutionary moment occurred in the animal rights movement when a U.S. federal court granted personhood status to the hippos who once lived in captivity at alleged drug kingpin Pablo Escobar’s private zoo and their descendants. The transformative ruling marked the first time a U.S. court gave this status, and the legal protections that come with it, to any animal. While the incident may benefit American animals in the future, unfortunately it does little to help the animals for which it was intended.
The so-called “cocaine hippos” have freely roamed the region where they escaped following Escobar’s death in the 1990s. Their population has doubled in size since that time, and they now stand about 70 to 80 strong. Despite the fact they have so far proven peaceful and posed no threat, one group recently advocated for their culling, citing their status as an invasive species and a potential threat to humans. These animals that have become beloved fixtures in the region should not have to pay with their lives because of the reckless and irresponsible actions of people.
Sign the petition below to urge the Colombian officials who have the power of life and death over the hippos to choose life.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Correa,
The “cocaine hippos” of Pablo Escobar have not lived up to their notorious moniker. By and large, these animals have proven peaceful and are almost seen as pets by the community. The notion of culling and killing them is unconscionable and unneeded.
Any effects that these animals might have on regional biodiversity is not their fault. They did not ask to be taken from their homes and brought to a strange land. But they have adapted, and so has the region. A court in the United States has even supported them by granting them personhood status. While that ruling does not apply in Colombia, please consider the spirit of the action.
The Cornare environmental agency has devised a workable contraceptive method that could control population growth. Please invest in this life-saving approach and give these living beings a fighting chance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Follow Alice
Words of the arrogant will claim an animal species is invasive and a potential threat to humans. This is a lie. The only threat to all animal species including the human species are humans themselves. I agree that the contraceptive method that could control population growth would be a more humane option than killing.
We need to cull the human population to make room for these hippos.
I totally agree!
Absolutely! By far the most dangerous and invasive species.
STOP KILLING HIPPOS IMMEDIATELY!!! CULL THESE STUPID HUMANS!!!
What a mixed up government. Thus would be a horrible senseless miscarriage of justice for these hippos
Bring these animals back to Africa where they came from!! There is NO NEED to kill these magnificent animals. Or send them to Zoos or Sanctuaries. BUT DON’T KILL THEM! THEY DESERVE TO LIVE TOO
Yet another murderous obscenity inflicted on innocent creatures.Must be stopped henceforth.
Wild made to be captive and now that they are set free, what does the superior being MAN want to do?? Kill them. This world would be better left to the animals. We as a species are lost.
ALL WILDLIFE on this planet needs to be protected from thrill-killers and any others who think killing is fun…IN MY OPINION
Leave the hippos alone and let them live in peace and safety!
Ghislaine
ARE YOU ALL INSANE, THERE IS NO NEED AT ALL TO DO THIS. ITS EVIL, WICKED AND CRUEL AND YOU KNOW IT. LEAVE THEM TO LIVE IN PEACE WITHOUT VILE HUMANS KILLING MORE INNOCENT ANIMALS. WHEN WILL YOU EVER, EVER LEARN. STOP THIS WICKED, EVIL ACTION NOW. WAKE UP THIS PLANET IS NOT JUST SO HUMANS CAN DO AS THEY LIKE, IT NEVER WAS AND IT NEVER WILL BE. THESE SO CALLED HUMANS DO NOT HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE OF AN ANT!! WAKE UP!!!!
You took them from their homeland, killing these peaceful animals is not the answer!!!
This is not properly explained, nor petitioned. People of Force Change, you need to be better informed to make a petition like this. The hippos should be taken back to Africa, not slaughtered. But they are an invasive predator and is destroying the natural habitat of local species. Colombians do not want them, they are the symbol of the power of money that Escobar withheld in a terrified Colombia. And last, to the people that comments here, the Hippo is the animal that most people kills in Africa, read.