Colombians split on fate of Pablo Escobar’s hippos

Along the Magdalena River, one of Colombia’s primary arteries, fishermen move with wary precision. From the silty, tea-coloured current, hippopotamuses can surface without warning, closing the distance to a vessel in a single heartbeat.

“These hippos are a true nightmare,” said fisherman Wilinton Sanchez about the semi-aquatic animals capable of charging at speeds of up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) per hour in water and 30 kilometers (18 miles) on land.

“We were out Saturday when one lunged… reared up and swung its jaws wide. If it ever gets hold of you, it’ll tear you to pieces.” The animals also draw fascination.

Several afternoons a week, boats filled with Colombian and foreign tourists arrive to scan the shoreline waiting for signs in the murky water. Even these “hippo-watching” outings can occasionally end in screams as the animals close the distance with terrifying speed, but they also bring needed business to the community.