Pablo Escobar's hippos offered home by Indian billionaire's son

In a dramatic move to prevent a mass culling in South America, Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has formally offered to rescue 80 hippopotamuses currently roaming the wetlands of Colombia. These animals, famously known as "cocaine hippos," are the descendants of a small herd illegally imported by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in the 1980s. Following the collapse of Escobar’s empire, the hippos escaped into the Magdalena River, where they have multiplied into an invasive population of nearly 200, threatening local biodiversity and human safety.
Through his massive wildlife conservation project, Vantara, Ambani has submitted a comprehensive plan to the Colombian government to halt the recently authorized lethal removal of the animals. The proposal offers a permanent home for 80 of the hippos within a custom-built, state-of-the-art sanctuary in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Ambani urged Colombian authorities to reconsider the cull, describing it as an avoidable tragedy. In a formal appeal, he emphasized that the animals should not bear the consequences of circumstances beyond their control, stating that these are living, sentient beings, and if the capacity exists to save them through a humane solution, there is a responsibility to try.

Moving 80 hippos—each weighing as much as 4,000 lbs—across the globe presents a monumental logistical challenge. The Vantara team has pledged to cover all costs and manage every phase of the operation, including professional capture by expert veterinarians, chartering specialized cargo planes for the long-haul flight from Colombia to India, and establishing strict biosecurity protocols. Once in India, the animals would be housed in a naturalistic habitat designed to mirror the critical features of the Magdalena River to ensure their long-term welfare.

For years, Colombia has struggled with how to handle the hippos as traditional sterilization efforts proved too slow and expensive to keep pace with the herd's growth. This led the Ministry of Environment to approve a cull of 80 individuals to protect the ecosystem. The Vantara facility, which spans 3,500 acres, already houses thousands of rescued animals, including hundreds of elephants and large carnivores. While the relocation still requires several international permits and regulatory approvals from both the Indian and Colombian governments, Ambani’s offer provides a potential third way that balances ecological necessity with animal welfare. The Colombian government is currently reviewing the technical and scientific feasibility of the proposal, which, if approved, would mark one of the largest and most high-profile wildlife rescue operations in history.