BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia will try to control its population of more than 100 hippopotamuses, descendants of animals illegally brought to the country by late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, through surgical sterilization, the transfer of hippos to other countries and possibly euthanasia, the government said Thursday.
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21 photos of baby hippos to celebrate National Hippo Day
A male three-month-old pygmy hippopotamus swims underwater next to his mother at Henry Doorly Zoo Friday, March 24, 2006, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
A three-month-old baby pygmy hippopotamus swims by his grazing mother at Henry Doorly Zoo Friday, March 24, 2006, in Omaha, Neb. Zoo visitors will be able to view the baby hippo for the first time on Friday. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
A two-day old male hippo is bottle-fed by a zoo official after he was refused to be breast fed by his mother at the Dusit zoo in Bangkok Monday, July 8, 2002. Beside milk the veterinary team also gave him medicine, in an attempt to save the live of the 20-kilogram (44 pound) baby hippo. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A young and a grown up hippo snuggle at the zoo in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Belgrade Zoo's latest addition, a three-day-old, as yet un-named, baby hippopotamus, swims alongside his mother, Julka, in balmy spring weather, in Belgrade Zoo, Friday, April 2, 2004. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Baby Gregor stands next to his mother Nicole at the Zoo in Berlin on Monday, Aug. 15, 2005. The little hippo was born on July 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Baby Gregor is pushed aside by his mother Nicole at the Zoo in Berlin on Monday, Aug. 15, 2005. The little hippo was born on July 27, 2005. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A baby hippo named Owen walks along with its "mother," a giant male Aldabran tortoise, at the Mombasa Haller Park, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005 in Mombasa, Kenya. The odd couple have stayed together now for one year after they got together after Kenya Wildlife Service rangers rescued the baby hippo in the sea off Malindi after the Asian tsumani reached the Kenyan shore and separated the calf from its mother. (AP Photo)
Anais, the mother hippo, keeps an eye on its son Aldo, a three-week-old pygmy hippopotamus, (Choeropsis Liberiensis), at the Vincennes zoo, outside Paris, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. Aldo looks, eats and lazes like a hippopotamus but he is only about as big as a human baby, at 53 centimeters (21 inches). (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)
Aldo, a three-week-old pygmy hippopotamus, (Choeropsis liberiensis) eats at the Vincennes zoo, outside Paris, Tuesday, June 26, 2007. Aldo looks, eats and lazes like a hippopotamus but he is only about as big as a human baby, at 53 centimeters (21 inches). (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)
Fifteen year old Hippo Albert opens his mouth to catch a pumpkin, fed to him by his keeper, in Cologne Zoo, western Germany, Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008. At right is six years old Hippo Kavango. (AP Photo/Roberto Pfeil)
A southern pochard duck is followed by a young hippo at the zoo in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Jan. 14, 2011. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
A hippo cub touches its mother Nicole during the first public presentation at the Zoo in Berlin, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011. The cub which is yet unnamed was born on Oct. 23, 2011 at the zoo. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
A baby hippo bobs next to its mother, in Kenya's Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
A newborn baby hippopotamus rests next to its mother at the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Wednesday, March 5, 2014. The baby hippo born Feb. 24, is the first one born at the Zoo in the last 16 years. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
A newborn baby hippopotamus rests next to its mother at the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Wednesday, March 5, 2014. The baby hippo born Feb. 24, is the first one born at the Zoo in the last 16 years. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
Kaveri, eight-year-old hippopotamus is followed by her yet to be named three-day-old baby hippo inside their enclosure at the Bannerghatta National Park, 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of Bangalore, India, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
A newborn baby hippo sits in its enclosure at the zoo in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
A two-week-old pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) undergoes a routine medical check in its enclosure in Szeged Nature Reserve in Szeged, 170 kms (105 miles) southeast of Budapest, Hungary, Tuesday, May 10, 2016. The female hippo, which was born weighing just under 6 kilos (13.2 pounds) has doubled the weight since birth. (Zoltan Gergely Kelemen/MTI via AP)
Kaveri, eight-year-old hippopotamus, right, plays with her yet to be named three-day-old baby hippo inside their enclosure at the Bannerghatta National Park, 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of Bangalore, India, Wednesday, July 1, 2015. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
A baby hippo swims next to its mother Kathi in the Zoo in Berlin, Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008. The girl was born on Nov. 29, 2008 and has no official name yet. (AP Photo/Franka Bruns)
