Target: Carlos Eduardo Correa, Minister of Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development
Goal: Use contraceptives rather than culling to mitigate population growth of hippopotamuses.
A revolutionary moment occurred in the animal rights movement when a U.S. federal court granted personhood status to the hippos who once lived in captivity at alleged drug kingpin Pablo Escobar’s private zoo and their descendants. The transformative ruling marked the first time a U.S. court gave this status, and the legal protections that come with it, to any animal. While the incident may benefit American animals in the future, unfortunately it does little to help the animals for which it was intended.
The so-called “cocaine hippos” have freely roamed the region where they escaped following Escobar’s death in the 1990s. Their population has doubled in size since that time, and they now stand about 70 to 80 strong. Despite the fact they have so far proven peaceful and posed no threat, one group recently advocated for their culling, citing their status as an invasive species and a potential threat to humans. These animals that have become beloved fixtures in the region should not have to pay with their lives because of the reckless and irresponsible actions of people.
Sign the petition below to urge the Colombian officials who have the power of life and death over the hippos to choose life.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Minister Correa,
The “cocaine hippos” of Pablo Escobar have not lived up to their notorious moniker. By and large, these animals have proven peaceful and are almost seen as pets by the community. The notion of culling and killing them is unconscionable and unneeded.
Any effects that these animals might have on regional biodiversity is not their fault. They did not ask to be taken from their homes and brought to a strange land. But they have adapted, and so has the region. A court in the United States has even supported them by granting them personhood status. While that ruling does not apply in Colombia, please consider the spirit of the action.
The Cornare environmental agency has devised a workable contraceptive method that could control population growth. Please invest in this life-saving approach and give these living beings a fighting chance.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Follow Alice
Please do not take the lives of these living beings. Please treat them with respect and dignity
Dear Minister Correa,
Please put an end to the barbaric killing of hippos – there should be ways to sterilize the males but not ‘massacring’ them to death!
They were created by God!
Thank you for your kind consideration to everyones request.
I assume that as a Colombian you must be a devout catholic and will immediately put a stop to the barbaric way of murdering those innocent hippos, and so I beg of you to put a stop to their barbaric murdering finding ways to stop thei reproduction.
Please do not disappint us!
Very much obliged!