Common hippopotami (Hippopotamus amphibius) introduced to Colombia in the 80s have since spread into livestock areas. Measures such as breeding control are needed to prevent further uncontrolled population growth. A young female hippopotamus was moved to a university veterinary hospital and anesthetized. Laparoscopic ovariectomy was attempted, but because of the difficulty of inserting the trocars in an apparently lax peritoneum, lateral laparotomy was performed. Both ovaries were transected with the use of an ultrasonic hemostatic device and clamping. Patient recovery was completely successful and the wound healed with few complications. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing a successful ovariectomy in a hippopotamus.