August 5, 2026 / 1:25 PM EDT
/ CBS/AFP
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Authorities in northwestern Colombia said they rescued a newborn hippopotamus found alone by fishermen on the banks of a river and showing signs of malnutrition.Colombia has around 200 so-called "cocaine hippos" living in the wild, according to the Environment Ministry, all of which descended from a colony brought to South America by slain cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar.Fishermen found the small hippo separated from its mother and hidden in the bushes along the riverbank in a rural area of the Puerto Nare municipality in Antioquia, said Javier Valencia, director of the regional environmental authority, in a statement on Tuesday.Veterinarians treated it for "advanced dehydration and malnutrition," according to a statement.After being stabilized, the animal was transferred to a hippo sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, the estate previously owned by Escobar and which is now a theme park.
Authorities in northwestern Colombia said they rescued a baby hippopotamus found alone by fishermen on the banks of a river and showing signs of malnutrition.
