Pablo Escobar: kingpin and... animal lover? In the 1980s, Escobar's zoo at Hacienda Nápoles took shape, filled with exotic animals, including hippos. The zoo was only functional for about 10 years before the Colombian government claimed it, but during its heyday, Escobar allowed locals to explore it for free. He even bussed children to the zoo. Today, however, those hippos are causing quite the uproar in Colombia. While hippos aren't native to South America, that hasn't stopped them from making a home in Colombia, wandering away from Hacienda Nápoles, and multiplying quickly. These hippos haven't hurt anyone yet, but it's likely only a matter of time before these sometimes dangerous animals get too close to humans for comfort.