Update: Billionaire Proposes Lifeline To Save Escobar’s Hippos In Colombia

Update: 5/4/26

In a surprising development, a new proposal may offer an alternative to the planned culling of dozens of hippos descended from drug trafficker Pablo Escobar’s former private zoo in Colombia.

Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has come forward with an offer to relocate approximately 80 of the animals to his sanctuary, Vantara, an expansive wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in India.

The proposal comes at a critical moment as Colombian authorities consider euthanizing a significant number of the hippos, whose population has grown rapidly over decades. What began as just four animals has expanded into a large, free roaming population, raising concerns about environmental impact and human safety.

While some headlines have described the move as an attempt to purchase the hippos, the offer is being presented as a rescue effort aimed at preventing their deaths and providing long term care.

Relocating the animals would be a complex undertaking. Transporting multi-ton hippos across continents would require extensive planning, significant resources, and cooperation between governments and wildlife experts. Even so, the proposal introduces a humane alternative that many advocates say should be fully explored.

Colombian officials have not yet approved the plan, and questions remain about whether such a large-scale relocation can be carried out. For animals caught in a situation entirely created by human actions, relocation offers a potential path forward that prioritizes the hippos’ survival.

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Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development has announced a national plan to determine the fate of the country’s rapidly growing hippopotamus population, a species present in Colombia solely due to human introduction and now facing potential lethal population control.

Backed by 7.2 billion Colombian pesos, the proposal has sparked serious concern among animal advocates, who argue that animals born into a human created ecological crisis should not pay the ultimate price for our mistakes.

The population traces back to just four hippos illegally brought into Colombia by drug trafficker Pablo Escobar, a decision that has shaped their uncertain future.

“To reduce the hippopotamus population, there are two paths: translocation and euthanasia. The latter is a technical measure, forming part of what science dictates we must do when translocation is not possible. Today, we are announcing a euthanasia protocol so that environmental authorities may implement it with the guidance of scientific institutes; for without this action, it is impossible to control the growth of the species,” stated Acting Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Irene Vélez Torres.

Hippos were declared an invasive species in 2022, with estimates placing the population at around 160 to 200 individuals, and projections suggesting numbers could reach 500 by 2030 and nearly 1,000 by 2035.

While concerns include the hippos’ impacts on waterways and native species, such as manatees and river turtles, animal welfare advocates emphasize that these animals should not be treated as disposable consequences of human actions.

Authorities have explored relocation efforts to other countries, but these attempts have not resulted in finalized agreements due to legal, logistical, and financial constraints. Advocates argue this reflects not a lack of humane solutions, but a lack of sustained international cooperation and political will.

The government’s plan outlines two euthanasia methods, chemical and physical, while also referencing non-lethal approaches such as sterilization. Animal welfare advocates stress that sterilization should be prioritized and fully explored.

World Animal News (WAN) and Peace 4 Animals stand firmly in support of humane, non-lethal solutions and urge authorities to pursue every viable alternative. These animals are not to blame; they exist as a result of human introduction, and their fate should reflect compassion, not cruelty.

We urge stronger global cooperation, increased investment in fertility control, and the creation of sanctuaries so conservation efforts prioritize animal welfare. Protecting biodiversity and individual animals must go hand in hand.