Anant Ambani offers to relocate 80 Pablo Escobar-linked hippos, urges Colombia to halt cull

CHENNAI: Anant Mukesh Ambani, the son of Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has urged Colombia to suspend its plan to cull 80 hippopotamuses descended from animals once owned by drug lord Pablo Escobar, offering to relocate them to his wildlife facility in India.

The proposal comes as Colombia struggles to manage a fast-growing population of Escobar-linked hippos in the Magdalena River basin. The younger son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, Anant Ambani, an executive director at Reliance Industries Ltd and founder of Vantara, has written to the country’s environment minister proposing a “scientifically led” translocation of the animals to Jamnagar in Gujarat.

According to Vantara, he has asked authorities to reconsider the culling decision and explore relocation as a humane alternative, offering to handle logistics, veterinary care and long-term rehabilitation.

Colombian authorities recently authorised the killing of 80 hippos, part of an invasive population that now stands at around 200 and could exceed 500 by 2030 if unchecked.

Ambani said the animals deserved a humane solution and that Vantara has the capacity to house them.

The proposal calls for Colombia to defer the cull while necessary approvals are obtained from both governments and relevant international bodies.

Escobar's hippos

The hippos are the offspring of animals illegally brought to the country in the 1980s by the late drug kingpin Pablo Escobar for his private zoo at Hacienda Nápoles — a sprawling valley estate that featured a private airstrip and served as his secluded fortress. Their numbers have since grown rapidly despite attempts at population control, including castration.

The issue has triggered debate in Colombia, with scientists warning of ecological damage and risks to local communities, while animal welfare activists oppose the cull.

"These hippos are a true nightmare,” said fisherman Wilinton Sanchez about the semi-aquatic animals capable of charging at speeds of up to 8 kilometres per hour in water and 30 kilometres on land. “We were out Saturday when one lunged … reared up and swung its jaws wide. If it ever gets hold of you, it'll tear you to pieces.”

Residents in towns such as Puerto Triunfo also fear that removing the animals could impact tourism. 48-year-old business owner, Diana Hincapié, said, "They aren't African anymore; they are Colombian, born and bred here for over 30 years,” said the 48-year-old business owner.

Officials, however, say relocation efforts have struggled due to high costs and legal restrictions, with no country yet committing to take them.

The government's control plan includes confinement, a move supported by Puerto Triunfo residents, transfers to international sanctuaries or zoos and euthanasia, a last resort reserved for cases where non-lethal alternatives prove unfeasible.

Meanwhile, Vantara, spread over 3,500 acres in Jamnagar, houses over 2,000 species. Positioned as a major wildlife rescue and conservation centre, it has, however, faced criticism from activists over concerns, including the suitability of the region’s climate for some animals.

In September 2025, the Supreme Court accepted a Special Investigation Team report giving a clean chit to the facility, stating that its operations were within legal regulations and closing all related complaints.

(With PTI and AP inputs)