00:00What a shame with you to have such a thing that inspires susceptibilities and controversies,
00:04but we have seen so much information and influencers confusing people,
00:08that we can't allow you to end this 2025 without leaving a couple of clear things about the hipopótamos.
00:13Prometido que no me demora.
00:15All of us know that there are a lot of hipopótamos in Colombia, possibly more than 160,
00:19and that some are close to the pescadores of Magdalena Medio,
00:23where many have had to change their routine.
00:25It is not that it is very fun to find a animal of 2 tons at the side of the
00:29canoa.
00:30By the way, we went to a couple of weeks ago to listen to them, who have their neighbors.
00:35We made a short video that you can see on our YouTube channel in The Spectator.
00:39And they also know that there was an attack to a campesino,
00:42and that they are animals that are growing at a very accelerated rate.
00:45In about 20 years, there may be more than 1.000,
00:47according to some models that have made people very serious.
00:50Like this study.
00:51The question that all of us make is,
00:53What do they have to do?
00:55And here is where we have a very serious conversation that may be a little awkward.
00:59But if we haven't already done it,
01:01many researchers, like the professor Natalie Castelblanco,
01:04who has been studying all the time studying mammals and semiacutics,
01:08think that we will end the time to act.
01:12Because the problem is that, time.
01:14The clock runs and runs, and the hipopótamos continues to be reproduced,
01:17and they can move on to other regions of Colombia.
01:20And while they do it, they can make problems not only to human beings,
01:23but also to other native animals, like the manatee or the nutre,
01:27or to leave without oxygen the water bodies that they choose to live.
01:30For that amount of impact, it is that the hipopótamos were declared in 2022 as a exotic
01:35invasor by the Ministry of Environment, which also announced in 2024 the expected plan to control them.
01:43But a year later, nothing happened.
01:44Not even, as many scientists have said, this document had a clear route to follow,
01:49but not a budget.
01:51It didn't mean where, when or when, or how they were going to do things.
01:54Today, professors like Germán Jiménez,
01:56coordinator of the Maestría in Restauración Ecológica of the University Javeriana,
02:00ask them to say that, please, don't let them go.
02:03If that plan of action exists, please, execute it.
02:06We need the capital and the resources to execute that plan.
02:10That's what we need urgent.
02:12If we do not do that, we continue to let the situation and we continue to get out of the
02:17hands.
02:18So the ball is now in the hands of the Ministry of Environment,
02:21who told us that now their first option is translocal,
02:24that is, to send them to another place.
02:26But that path is so difficult, that despite the fact that they have spoken with 8 countries,
02:30none of them has given a official response.
02:33The Ministry also told us that they want to sterilize,
02:35a idea that always has been on the table,
02:38but keep in mind that it is very difficult to sterilize the hipopótamos,
02:41starting because they are very hard to find them,
02:44because they are very good in the arm.
02:47Cornare, the environmental authority that has more experienced in the management of the hipopótamos,
02:51has made 35 operations after years of learning.
02:54As they told us, they require a group of 12 people
02:57and each one is worth more than $35.000.000.
03:01Now, disparate a pharmaceutical farm that is worth $4.000.000 per hipopótamo,
03:05is another way that is in the debate, but it is not clear if it is effective in the hipopótamos,
03:10and it is also difficult to know which individuals they have fired,
03:14and how the diablos mark a such animal to know that they have received that medicine?
03:19And here, finally, there is a question that we can't underestimate.
03:22With an environmental sector that has so few resources and many, many emergencies,
03:28will we invest a huge sum in these measures that are not all effective to atajar the problem?
03:33That is why many researchers who have studied our animals for years,
03:36who have not only a great knowledge, but a great sensitivity to these issues,
03:41ask them not to throw in the sack of control,
03:44which, yes, is a very difficult decision to take,
03:47it is uncomfortable, but it seems to be necessary,
03:49along with other options, of course.
03:51By the way, the eutanasia is in the last row of options in the ministerial office.
03:55All of them really are very worried because the situation
03:58can't be taken away from the hands of us and not be able to atajar.
04:01Are you willing to listen to the Ministerial of Ambience to listen to them?
04:03Are you willing to listen to them in their decision?
04:05If they take the time of the electoral election.
04:07In the end, sorry if I'm late, but all of this was to tell you
04:11that we did a more complete report and a little documentary about this problemota,
04:16that you can consult in our section of Ambiente,
04:18on El Espectador and on our YouTube channel.
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