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Due to the favorable climatic and ecological conditions offered by Colombian ecosystems, the hippo population introduced into the country in the 1980s has increased and now it has spread from the middle valley of the Magdalena River in Antioquia to the Mompós Depression in Bolívar. Recently, the Colombian government declared it as an invasive species for its negative effects on the ecosystems and people’s lives and livelihoods. In this context, we conducted a demographic study to estimate the population size and structure, describe its spatial distribution, and Project the population dynamics into the future. We used direct and indirect records to estimate a population of at least 181 hippos distributed in seven groups, five in advanced stages of biological invasion. Given their current structure and size, the hippo population will reach 1,000 individuals around 2040 if no urgent eradication actions are taken.
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References
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