Anant Ambani, the son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has offered to relocate hippos descended from those originally brought to Colombia by drug lord Pablo Escobar, in a bid to prevent the animals from being culled by authorities.
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The proposal comes amid ongoing efforts in Colombia to manage a rapidly growing population of invasive hippos that have spread across the Magdalena River region. The animals, first imported by Escobar in the 1980s for his private zoo, have multiplied over the years and are now considered an ecological threat, as well as a danger to local communities. Authorities have previously explored culling the population due to repeated attacks on fishermen and disruption to river ecosystems.
Following Pablo Escobar’s death, his illegally imported hippos rapidly multiplied in Colombia. Deemed a severe invasive threat, the government recently authorized culling eighty of them.
To prevent this, Anant Ambani officially petitioned Colombia to safely relocate these… pic.twitter.com/vnG7pJGvIr
— The CSR Journal (@thecsrjournal) April 28, 2026
In a statement, Anant Ambani said he has formally requested the Colombian government to pause any decision to kill the animals and instead consider a “safe, scientifically-led translocation” of around 80 hippos to his Vantara animal conservation facility in India. The centre, located in Gujarat, is described as one of the world’s largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation projects and already houses a wide range of rescued and endangered species.
Ambani emphasized that the initiative would be carried out under strict veterinary supervision and designed to ensure the safety and well-being of the animals during transport and relocation. He added that Vantara has both the infrastructure and expertise to manage such a large-scale conservation effort responsibly.
“These 80 hippos did not choose where they were born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face,” he said. “If we have the ability to save them through a safe and humane solution, we have a responsibility to try.”
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The proposal has sparked international attention due to its unusual nature, combining wildlife conservation with cross-continental relocation. Colombian authorities have yet to publicly respond to the offer, which would require complex logistical, legal, and environmental approvals if accepted.