The 'cocaine hippos' represent Colombia's largest invasive species crisis, growing from four individuals to a population now estimated between 181 and 215. Their presence causes significant ecological harm as they erode riverbanks and their waste pollutes water, leading to anoxic conditions that kill fish and threaten aquatic life. They directly outcompete native species for habitat and resources, including the endangered West Indian manatee, neotropical otter, and capybara. Addressing the probl