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Colombia's feral 'cocaine hippos' remain an invasive-species concern
വാർത്തയിൽ എന്തുകൊണ്ട്?
Escobar's hippos live in Colombia, but where are they native? The invasive alien species GS3 link
The feral hippos of Colombia, descended from Escobar's animals, are an invasive species problem.
Why it matters: factual, Prelims-type
What you need to know
2 മിനിറ്റ്
Colombia's wild hippopotamus population, descended from animals once kept by the drug lord Pablo Escobar, is treated as an invasive species that threatens local wildlife and river ecosystems.
The common hippopotamus is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
ഉറവിടങ്ങൾ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
പ്രധാന വസ്തുതകൾ
Remember these
- Colombia's feral hippos descend from animals kept by the drug lord Pablo Escobar
- They are treated as an invasive species threatening local wildlife and river ecosystems
- The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is native to sub-Saharan Africa
- The feral population lives in the Magdalena River basin of Colombia
- IUCN lists the common hippopotamus as Vulnerable in its native range
പ്രിലിംസ് · മെയിൻസ്
How the exam will ask it
പ്രിലിംസ്
- An invasive alien species is a non-native species introduced outside its natural range that harms native biodiversity, ecosystems or livelihoods.
- The common hippopotamus is native to sub-Saharan Africa and has no natural range in South America.
- The Convention on Biological Diversity requires parties to prevent the introduction of, control or eradicate alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species.
മെയിൻസ്
GS3 Environment: invasive alien species are a major driver of biodiversity loss. The Colombian hippo case shows how escaped exotic animals harm native wildlife and river ecosystems, and how hard they are to remove once established. Way forward: strict controls on keeping exotic species, early detection and rapid response, and population management with local community involvement, lessons relevant to India's own invaders such as water hyacinth and Lantana.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
Feral hippopotamuses that have become an invasive population in Colombia are native to which region?
- South-East Asia
- The Amazon basin
- Madagascar
- Sub-Saharan Africa
ഉത്തരം കാണിക്കൂ
ഉത്തരം: D — The correct answer is Sub-Saharan Africa. The common hippopotamus is native to Africa south of the Sahara and has no natural range in South America.
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