Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January.

New York Post reported that 10 hippos will be flown from Antioquia, Colombia, to Sinaloa, the Mexican province. Upon landing, they will be taken to Jesús María, the bastion of Guzman.

Their new home will be Ostok Sanctuary — a shelter for animals rescued from species trafficking.

The Ostok Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa — a stronghold of El Chapo&nbsp;who is currently serving a life sentence for murder and drug trafficking at the federal supermax prison in Colorado after his conviction in Brooklyn.

The whole operation of moving the hippos to a new location is being financed by Mexican conservationist Ernesto Zazueta who is shelling out $500,000, according to a report.

The hippos are a small fraction of the dozens in Antioquia, where Escobar is said to have maintained a zoo on his Hacienda Nápoles ranch at of his Medellin Cartel days in the 1980s.

He reportedly brought four hippos as part of a collection of exotic animals like elephants, giraffes, and antelopes at his private zoo.

However, after his death in 1993, these animals were left to roam freely in the marshy area of the Antioquia department.

<h2>Invasive species&nbsp;</h2>

As their population grew to 150, the hippos started polluting soil and water and wiping out native plants in the region.

The officials said that their faeces affected water oxygen levels, lowered the water quality and caused widespread fish fatalities. As a result, they were declared invasive species.

The environmental authorities have been helpless to curb their numbers.

According to a study in Nature journal, their numbers could increase to 1,500 in 20 years. The authorities have tried various methods like using contraceptive darts and other methods to control their population, but these have yielded limited success.&nbsp;

Though most of the other animals were relocated, the hippos were too difficult to transport. The chances of sending them back to Africa is also nil as the experts believe that it might risk upsetting the local ecosystem there.

Meanwhile, 60 of these hippos will be sent to India, CNN had reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January.

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January. New York Post reported that 10 hippos will be flown from Antioquia, Colombia, to Sinaloa, the Mexican province. Upon landing, they will be taken to Jesús María, the bastion of Guzman. Their new home will be Ostok Sanctuary — a shelter for animals rescued from species trafficking. The Ostok Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa — a stronghold of El Chapo who is currently serving a life sentence for murder and drug trafficking at the federal supermax prison in Colorado after his conviction in Brooklyn. The whole operation of moving the hippos to a new location is being financed by Mexican conservationist Ernesto Zazueta who is shelling out $500,000, according to a report. The hippos are a small fraction of the dozens in Antioquia, where Escobar is said to have maintained a zoo on his Hacienda Nápoles ranch at of his Medellin Cartel days in the 1980s. He reportedly brought four hippos as part of a collection of exotic animals like elephants, giraffes, and antelopes at his private zoo. However, after his death in 1993, these animals were left to roam freely in the marshy area of the Antioquia department. Invasive species As their population grew to 150, the hippos started polluting soil and water and wiping out native plants in the region. The officials said that their faeces affected water oxygen levels, lowered the water quality and caused widespread fish fatalities. As a result, they were declared invasive species. The environmental authorities have been helpless to curb their numbers. According to a study in Nature journal, their numbers could increase to 1,500 in 20 years. The authorities have tried various methods like using contraceptive darts and other methods to control their population, but these have yielded limited success. Though most of the other animals were relocated, the hippos were too difficult to transport. The chances of sending them back to Africa is also nil as the experts believe that it might risk upsetting the local ecosystem there. Meanwhile, 60 of these hippos will be sent to India, CNN had reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Pablo Escobar’s hippos to be flown to Mexico, drug lord El Chapo’s birthplace

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday (January 18) that he would consider a plea by jailed drug kingpin El Chapo (Joaquin Guzman), 65, to return from the United States to complete his sentence on humanitarian grounds. Speaking to reporters, President Obrador said the government will review the plea, adding, it was unclear if it had the power to grant the request. "But the door must always be left open when it comes to human rights," Obrador said, news agency AFP reported.&nbsp;

El Chapo, the founder of the Sinaloa cartel, has been serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison in Colorado, US, after he was convicted in 2019 of charges including drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons-related offences. On Tuesday, Chapo's lawyer Jose Refugio Rodriguez said that the drug kingpin appealed to President Obrador for help due to alleged "psychological torment" he had been suffering at the Colorado prison.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-says-29-killed-in-operation-to-arrest-drug-kingpin-el-chapos-son-550100">Mexico govt says 29 killed in operation to arrest drug kingpin El Chapo's son</a>

"In the six years that Joaquin has been in the United States, he has not seen the sun," Rodriguez said, adding the message to Obrador, described as an SOS, was transmitted via one of El Chapo's lawyers in the US as well as his family. In an interview with Radio Formula, the lawyer said that Chapo is only allowed outside three times a week to a small area where he "doesn't get the sun," and has fewer visits or phone calls than other prisoners.&nbsp;

Rodriguez also said that the 65-year-old drug kingpin wants President Obrador to address the procedural violations during his extradition in 2017 under the previous government, AFP further reported.&nbsp;

In a separate development on Tuesday, the Mexico Embassy in the US confirmed that it received an email from Rodriguez on January 10. Mexico's foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard, without referring to the content of this email, downplayed the chance of any government intercession in favour of El Chapo. "He is serving a sentence there, he has a sentence. So, frankly, I don't see any possibilities for him, but I'm going to review it with the prosecutor's office," Ebrard told reporters.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-grips-mexico-after-the-arrest-of-el-chapos-son-ovidio-guzman-lopez-549882">Violence grips Mexico after the arrest of El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman Lopez</a>

Earlier in January, Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman was arrested by authorities following six months of intelligence work to track him down. The US put out a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Guzman's capture and accused him of being a key player in the Sinaloa cartel. His arrest triggered widespread violence in Mexico. The government had said that 29 people — 10 soldiers and 19 criminal suspects — were killed in the operation to arrest him.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

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Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday (January 18) that he would consider a plea by jailed drug kingpin El Chapo (Joaquin Guzman), 65, to return from the United States to complete his sentence on humanitarian grounds.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Wednesday (January 18) that he would consider a plea by jailed drug kingpin El Chapo (Joaquin Guzman), 65, to return from the United States to complete his sentence on humanitarian grounds. Speaking to reporters, President Obrador said the government will review the plea, adding, it was unclear if it had the power to grant the request. "But the door must always be left open when it comes to human rights," Obrador said, news agency AFP reported. El Chapo, the founder of the Sinaloa cartel, has been serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison in Colorado, US, after he was convicted in 2019 of charges including drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons-related offences. On Tuesday, Chapo's lawyer Jose Refugio Rodriguez said that the drug kingpin appealed to President Obrador for help due to alleged "psychological torment" he had been suffering at the Colorado prison. ALSO READ | Mexico govt says 29 killed in operation to arrest drug kingpin El Chapo's son "In the six years that Joaquin has been in the United States, he has not seen the sun," Rodriguez said, adding the message to Obrador, described as an SOS, was transmitted via one of El Chapo's lawyers in the US as well as his family. In an interview with Radio Formula, the lawyer said that Chapo is only allowed outside three times a week to a small area where he "doesn't get the sun," and has fewer visits or phone calls than other prisoners. Rodriguez also said that the 65-year-old drug kingpin wants President Obrador to address the procedural violations during his extradition in 2017 under the previous government, AFP further reported. In a separate development on Tuesday, the Mexico Embassy in the US confirmed that it received an email from Rodriguez on January 10. Mexico's foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard, without referring to the content of this email, downplayed the chance of any government intercession in favour of El Chapo. "He is serving a sentence there, he has a sentence. So, frankly, I don't see any possibilities for him, but I'm going to review it with the prosecutor's office," Ebrard told reporters. ALSO READ | Violence grips Mexico after the arrest of El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman Lopez Earlier in January, Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman was arrested by authorities following six months of intelligence work to track him down. The US put out a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Guzman's capture and accused him of being a key player in the Sinaloa cartel. His arrest triggered widespread violence in Mexico. The government had said that 29 people — 10 soldiers and 19 criminal suspects — were killed in the operation to arrest him. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mexico to consider jailed drug kingpin El Chapo's request to return from US

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Pablo Escobar’s hippos to be flown to Mexico, drug lord El Chapo’s birthplace

Mexico to consider jailed drug kingpin El Chapo's request to return from US

Wife of drug lord ‘El Chapo’ arrested on US drug charges