NEW DELHI, April 29 (Bernama-dpa) — A herd of hippopotamuses linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar, marked for culling in Colombia, has been offered a new home in India under a proposal by Anant Ambani, son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Ambani has appealed to the Colombian government to reconsider its decision to euthanise 80 hippos and offered “a fully resourced, safe and scientifically led translocation” to Vantara, a sprawling wildlife conversation centre founded by him in Jamnagar in India’s Gujarat state.
Escobar, killed in 1993, had illegally imported exotic wild animals for his private zoo, including four hippos.
After his death, these roamed freely in the Magdalena river basin multiplying into an invasive population now estimated at over 200. Interventions such as castration have failed to control their growth.
Colombia’s Environment Ministry said a cull is necessary to protect the country’s ecosystem. Ambani said the animals “did not choose where they were born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face”, and called for a humane solution.
Wildlife conservationists have cautioned that transferring the hippos may be impractical due to high costs and legal hurdles.
The 3,500-acre Vantara facility claims to be one of the world’s largest wildlife rescue and conservation centres, housing over 2000 species. It has an elephant hospital and breeding centres for endangered species.
It is not open to the public but has hosted high-profile guests such as Lionel Messi, Ivanka Trump and Rihanna, who visited during Ambani’s wedding celebrations.
Located near the Ambani refinery in Jamnagar, the sanctuary has faced scrutiny over rapid acquisition of exotic animals and alleged violations of wildlife trade laws.
India’s Supreme Court set up a panel to investigate the allegations and exonerated Vantara in November 2025.
— BERNAMA-dpa