Pablo Escobar baby hippo dies after Colombia rescue

A baby hippopotamus descended from Pablo Escobar's herd died Wednesday after being rescued in northwestern Colombia, the environmental organization Cornare said.

Fishermen had found the roughly 15-day-old animal alone on a riverbank without its mother. Authorities treated it after it showed signs of malnutrition and dehydration, and it was transferred to a hippo sanctuary at Hacienda Napoles, Escobar's former estate, which is now a theme park.

A Cornare veterinarian said the infant hippo was admitted with chronic signs of dehydration, malnutrition and an acute gastrointestinal condition. Despite rescue and rehydration efforts, the veterinarian said, the animal did not respond adequately to treatment and died.

Colombia's Environment Ministry says the country has around 200 invasive hippos living in the wild, all descended from animals brought to South America by Escobar. He imported four hippos in the 1980s for his private zoo at Hacienda Napoles.

After the Medellin cartel leader's death in 1993, the hippos escaped and settled along the banks of the Magdalena River. Authorities say they have disrupted the ecosystem and attacked local residents.

The animals are considered an invasive species. Colombia's government this year approved a plan to cull around 80 of them after attempts to curb their reproduction through sterilization failed.