or


[06/28/11 - 10:17 AM]
Animal Planet Exposes Criminal Mastermind Pablo Escobar's Animal Obsession in "Drug Kingpin Hippos"
The one-hour special airs Tuesday, July 19 at 10:00/9:00c on the cable channel.

[via press release from Animal Planet]

ANIMAL PLANET EXPOSES CRIMINAL MASTERMIND PABLO ESCOBAR'S ANIMAL OBSESSION IN "DRUG KINGPIN HIPPOS"

-- Cocaine King's Reign of Terror and Enduring Legacy Are Documented In New One-Hour Special on July 19 --

(Silver Spring, MD, June, 28, 2011) - Considered by many to be the most ruthless criminal of the 20th century, Pablo Escobar lived a lavish lifestyle filled with luxurious possessions, limitless spending and no fear of government intervention. Among the Colombian drug lord's most prized possessions was his immense compound called Hacienda Napoles, home to his personal zoo of more than 700 animals including his childhood obsession - hippos.

On July 19 at 10 PM (ET/PT), Animal Planet's one-hour special DRUG KINGPIN HIPPOS explores Escobar's decades-long stranglehold on Colombia and the lasting threat his hippos continue to pose to the country today. Unearthing archival footage and featuring exclusive interviews, including with Roberto Escobar, Pablo's eldest brother and closest friend, DRUG KINGPIN HIPPOS will provide viewers with a history of Escobar's rise to prominence and his ultimate demise as the world's preeminent narco-terrorist. The special also chronicles the plight of a team of Colombian veterinarians as they race against the clock to locate a runaway adult male hippo, a living symbol of Escobar's lasting terror on the country.

What started for Escobar as a realization of a childhood dream with the purchase of four hippos has turned into an ongoing nightmare for Colombians, as there are now more than 30 hippos in the country. With the ability to outrun humans in short distances and with a naturally aggressive demeanor that can easily maim and kill, the hippo population continues to threaten the lives of Colombians long after Escobar's death. With the escaped hippo loose in the wild, the team of vets begins a quest to locate him before he attacks a human. The veterinarians must make split second decisions and call on all their resources before attempting to capture, castrate and relocate the large beast. Only if they are successful will the veterinarians be able to decide the hippo's fate, life in captivity, deportation or sacrifice.

DRUG KINGPIN HIPPOS is produced for Animal Planet by Explora Films. Mauricio Velez is the executive producer for Explora Films. Erin Wanner is the executive producer for Animal Planet. Marc Etkind is the vice president of development for Animal Planet.

Animal Planet Media

Animal Planet Media (APM), a multi-media business unit of Discovery Communications, is the world's only entertainment brand that immerses viewers in the full range of life in the animal kingdom with rich, deep content via multiple platforms and offers animal lovers and pet owners access to a centralized online, television and mobile community for immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment, information and enrichment. APM consists of the Animal Planet television network, available in more than 97 million homes in the US; online assets www.animalplanet.com, the ultimate online destination for all things animal; the 24/7 broadband channel, Animal Planet Beyond; Petfinder.com, the #1 pet-related Web property globally that facilitates pet adoption; and other media platforms including a robust Video-on-Demand (VOD) service; mobile content; and merchandising extensions.





  [june 2011]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/15/25 - 01:01 PM]
Season 2 Announcement - "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Deathwatch"
In this first-ever adaptation of the acclaimed stealth video game franchise, legendary agent Sam Fisher is drawn back into the field when a wounded young operative seeks out his help.

[10/15/25 - 01:01 PM]
Video: Apple TV Debuts First Look at "Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age," Featuring the Playful Snow Sloths of the Pleistocene
Narrated by Golden Globe and Olivier Award winner Tom Hiddleston, with an original score by Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman, and Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, the five-part series premieres globally on Apple TV on November 26.

[10/15/25 - 12:30 PM]
Follow Chris Hemsworth and His Father, Craig, on a Deeply Emotional Road Trip Back in Time in "Chris Hemsworth: A Road Trip to Remember"
The one-hour special premieres Sunday, November 23 at 9:00/8:00c on National Geographic and streams the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.

[10/15/25 - 12:01 PM]
Next on Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN - November 2025
Highlights include the premiere of Hulu's "All's Fair"; the return of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives"; and the debut of "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie" on Disney+.

[10/15/25 - 11:14 AM]
"OWN For the Holidays" Returns for Its Seventh Year with Three Festive New Movies
"Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "The Christmas Showdown," and "Very Merry Mystery" will premiere on successive Saturdays beginning November 29.

[10/15/25 - 11:01 AM]
National Geographic Documents Athlete Jim Morrison's Unprecedented, Historic Ski Descent on North Face of Mount Everest on October 15, 2025
National Geographic Documentary Films once again teams with Oscar and BAFTA Award-winning directors Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin to film the exhilarating and heartbreaking odyssey for the upcoming documentary "Everest North" (wt).

[10/15/25 - 11:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces New Stand-Up Comedy Special "Kathleen Madigan - The Family Thread"
The one-hour special will premiere November 21 on Prime Video.

[10/15/25 - 10:01 AM]
"His & Hers" - Official First Look & Date Announcement
From visionary filmmaker William Oldroyd, this six-episode, twisty psychological thriller is adapted from Alice Feeney's novel of the same name and stars Tessa Thompson (who also executive produces) and Jon Bernthal.

[10/15/25 - 10:01 AM]
HBO and Raw Are in Production on a Documentary Series About the Epic Release of a Famous Whale
The series, directed by Becky Read, will debut on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max.

[10/15/25 - 09:37 AM]
Viaplay November 2025 Exclusive U.S. Premieres: "Vanguard"; "Meaning of Life," Season 2; "A Life's Worth"
"Vanguard" is a five-part, award-winning drama series featuring high-stakes deals, groundbreaking innovation, and fierce family rivalries.

[10/15/25 - 09:14 AM]
MGM+ Greenlights "Bosch: Start of Watch," A New Prequel Series to the Iconic Detective Franchise
The series stars Cameron Monaghan as rookie cop Harry Bosch and Omari Hardwick as veteran officer Eli Bridges.

[10/15/25 - 09:13 AM]
"Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films" to Premiere Exclusively on Disney+ November 7
The two-part documentary provides a fascinating glimpse into the making of the Oscar-winning box office phenomenon "Avatar: The Way of Water" and a first look at the upcoming "Avatar: Fire and Ash," features exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, concept art, and interviews with cast and filmmakers.

[10/15/25 - 09:05 AM]
Video: NBC Releases Official Season 2 Trailer for Comedy Series "St. Denis Medical"
The series returns Monday, November 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC with back-to-back episodes and will be available to stream on Peacock.

[10/15/25 - 09:02 AM]
Sirens On: BAFTA-Winning "Blue Lights" Returns to BritBox for Explosive Third Season
Other November highlights include "Belgravia," "Friday Night Dinner," and "Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators."

[10/15/25 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "All's Fair" - Meet the Women of All's Fair - Hulu
Starring Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash-Betts, Teyana Taylor, Sarah Paulson and Glenn Close, "All's Fair" tells the story of a team of fierce female divorce attorneys who leave a male-dominated firm to start their own.