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1/13 Today’s #rewilding paper is one that discusses the infamous escapees from Pablo Escobar’s private zoo that has since led to a wild population of Colombian hippos 
2/13 Now numbering as many as 60, the population towers above the original four individuals. The author asks whether these hippos could bring benefits that balance any potential negatives, as well as what questions these hippos raise in a world where natural spaces are shrinking
3/13 First, hippos are deemed a threat to people and the native ecosystem. As such, conservation experts recommend their removal. There are three options for control: (1) castrations, (2) killing for meat, or (3) culling. However, each of these pose issues:
4/13 (1) Castration requires hippos to be sedated while alone and on land. However, hippos typically occur in groups, making this challenging. Further, any that are found alone at a health risk from sedation and all males would need to be castrated for it to be effective.
5/13 (2) Hippo meat is dangerous as it can carry harmful diseases, and (3) a government wide cull caused a public outcry after just one was killed.
6/13 While it may seem unnatural to have such large animals in Colombia, giant ground sloths and other megafauna once roamed there. These megfauna would have contributed immensely to ecological processes e.g. nutrient dispersal. Could hippos be restoring these ecological effects?
7/13 Hippos transfer nutrients from land (grazing) to water (sleeping). This could 
aquatic vegetation for aquatic herbivore populations which could in turn benefit carnivores. The author even argues that caimen could consume young hippo, as seen with crocodiles in Africa
aquatic vegetation for aquatic herbivore populations which could in turn benefit carnivores. The author even argues that caimen could consume young hippo, as seen with crocodiles in Africa
8/13 However, increases in nutrients could cause algal blooms, which typically occur in lakes. Hippos could also be carriers of parasites or diseases non-native to Colombia, although there is currently no evidence of this
9/13 The author draws upon other non-native species as a comparison: water buffalo 
and dromedary camels 
in Australia. The author argues these may also fill a void in the mammal assemblage considering recent megafauna extinctions
and dromedary camels in Australia. The author argues these may also fill a void in the mammal assemblage considering recent megafauna extinctions
10/13 Water buffalos contribute to soil erosion, vegetation loss, disease transmission, and displace small animals. Yet, they also promote tree growth and through disturbance create microhabitats for smaller fauna
11/13 Camels can digest 80% of local vegetation and now number >300,000. They can damage infrastructure, economies, and possibly the environment. As such, large-scale culls occur despite Australia now being home to the only wild population of dromedary camel in the world
12/13 While the threat hippos face to humans is undebatable, the author raises questions about global co-existence with megafauna. How do we, as humans around the globe, accept coexistence with megafauna and recognize the benefits they have the potential bring to ecosystems?
13/13 What do you think about this case-study of unintentional megafauna introduction, as well as other non-native megafauna unintentionally introduced into novel ecosystems? We’d love to hear your thoughts
The paper can be found here: https://brill.com/view/journals/ijee/63/3-4/article-p5_5.xml
