A hippo was run over and killed by a truck on a Colombian highway, where this animal, a drug lord’s “legacy” Pablo Escobaris considered an “invasive species” (an animal, plant or other organism introduced by humans to areas outside its natural range).

The hippo, weighing more than a ton, was hit by the truck on the Bogota-Medellín highway in an area near an estate owned by Escobar, said Maria Magdalena Perez, the fire chief in the municipality of Puerto Triunfo.

The collision destroyed the front of the truck. Its driver was unhurt.

In the late 80s, the drug lord, who was killed in a 1993 shootout with the police, installed a small herd of hippos on his hacienda. Over the years, the animals have reproduced and are now estimated to live in the area about 150 hippos.

It is not the first time that there has been a traffic accident involving a hippopotamus in Colombia. In December a car collided with an animal, no one was injured. The hippo came out unscathed.

In 2022, the environment ministry labeled the hippopotamus an “invasive species”, paving the way for the animals to be hunted. He also attempted, unsuccessfully, to implement a sterilization program. Experts estimate that the their uncontrolled reproduction is a threat for the local flora and fauna, while often causing damage.

In March, the governor of Antioquia province announced a plan to move nearly half of the hippos to sanctuaries in Mexico and India – an undertaking estimated to cost $3.5 million.