Anant Ambani Offers to Relocate Pablo Escobar’s ‘Cocaine Hippos’ to India Amid Colombia Cull Plan
Indian industrialist Anant Ambani has offered to relocate around 80 of the so-called “cocaine hippos” from Colombia to India, as the South American country considers culling the invasive species.
The hippos are descendants of animals brought to Colombia in the 1980s by notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar, who had imported them to his private estate, Hacienda Nápoles. Over the decades, their population has grown rapidly to around 160, raising concerns about ecological imbalance and threats to native wildlife.
In response to Colombia’s plan to cull nearly half the population, Ambani proposed relocating 80 hippos to his wildlife rescue and conservation centre, Vantara, located in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
In a public statement, Ambani urged authorities to reconsider the culling decision, emphasizing a humane approach. He said the animals should not be punished for circumstances beyond their control and offered to provide them with long-term care in a controlled environment.
Vantara officials stated that the facility is equipped to house the hippos in specially designed habitats that replicate their natural surroundings. The centre, which reportedly cares for over 150,000 animals across 2,000 species, has offered “lifetime” care for the relocated animals.
The proposal has been formally submitted to Colombia’s Ministry of Environment, with assurances that any relocation would follow strict international protocols, including permits, biosecurity measures, and logistical planning.
The hippos currently inhabit areas around Hacienda Nápoles in Colombia’s Antioquia region and have become a subject of global debate, with conservationists divided over whether culling or relocation is the best solution.
Colombian authorities have yet to respond officially to the proposal, but the offer has opened up discussions on alternative wildlife management strategies.
