Rapid population growth and high management costs have created a narrow window for control of introduced hippos in Colombia.

ABSTRACT: The introduction of hippos into the wild in Colombia has been marked by their rapid population growth and widespread dispersal on the landscape, high financial costs of management, and conflicting social perspectives on their management and fate. Here we use population projection models to investigate the effectiveness and cost of management options under consideration for controlling introduced hippos. We estimate there are 91 hippos in the middle Magdalena River basin, Colombia, and the hippo population is growing at an estimated rate of 9.6% per year. At this rate, there will be 230 hippos by 2032 and over 1,000 by 2050. Applying the population control methods currently under consideration will cost at least 1-2 million USD to sufficiently decrease hippo population growth to achieve lon

SUBMITTER: Subalusky AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10106455 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature