Indian Heir Proposes Relocating Colombia’s Invasive ‘Cocaine Hippos’ Amid Planned Cull

On 27 April 2026 Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, wrote to Colombia’s Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres offering to transfer 80 hippos from the Hacienda Nápoles estate to his Vantara wildlife sanctuary in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The Colombian government simultaneously announced a plan to cull the same 80 animals, citing their invasive impact.

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Pablo Escobar imported a male-female hippo pair to his private Hacienda Nápoles zoo in the 1980s. After his 1993 death the animals escaped, reproduced unchecked, and now number about 160, forming the world’s largest hippo herd outside Africa. Colombia listed the species as invasive in 2022.

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Anant Ambani leads the relocation proposal; Vantara CEO Vivaan Karani signed the appeal. Minister Irene Vélez Torres defends the cull. Hippos weigh up to three tonnes, live 40-50 years, and could reach 500 by 2030. Vantara houses 150,000 animals from 2,000 species.

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The herd damages riverbanks, competes with manatees and river turtles, and has attacked fishing communities along the Magdalena. Unchecked growth threatens biodiversity and local livelihoods, prompting calls for population control.

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Minister Vélez called culling “necessary to protect our ecosystems,” noting a projection of 500 hippos by 2030. Vantara’s letter described its sanctuary as “specially designed and enriched” and pledged “lifetime care” under strict bio-security.

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Conservation groups argue Gujarat’s hot, dry climate may be unsuitable for African hippos and question the ethics of moving a large herd abroad instead of local control.

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Colombia’s Ministry of Environment has not publicly responded to Ambani’s offer, leaving transport feasibility unclear. Earlier relocation attempts stalled due to “international restrictions,” with no explanation for India’s exclusion.

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• “These 80 hippos did not choose where to be born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face,” — Anant Ambani

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• “are living, sentient beings, and if we have the capacity to save them through a safe and humane solution, we have the responsibility to try.” — Anant Ambani

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• “Without this action, it is impossible to control the population, and as we have already seen, estimates imply that by 2030 we would have at least 500 hippos affecting our ecosystems and native species, such as the manatee and the river turtle. It is with responsibility for our ecosystem that we must take these actions,” — Irene Vélez Torres

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• “We are willing to receive and care for these hippos in a specially designed and enriched environment, conceived to guarantee their well-being and, at the same time, reflect the key characteristics of their current habitat,” — Vivaan Karani, CEO of Vantara

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Colombia must decide on relocation versus culling. Vantara awaits a meeting with President Petro’s team to discuss permits and logistics for a possible 2026 transfer.

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