Billionaire's son offers home for Colombia's "cocaine hippos" rather than have them killed

Key Points:

• Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has offered to relocate Colombia's invasive "cocaine hippos" to his Vantara animal center in Gujarat, India, instead of allowing them to be culled.
• The hippos, originally introduced by drug lord Pablo Escobar in the 1980s, have become an ecological threat in Colombia's Magdalena River, attacking fishermen and damaging native species.
• Ambani's proposal includes a veterinary-led capture and transport plan, along with creating a naturalistic habitat for the 80 hippos at Vantara, which houses thousands of other rescued animals.
• Colombian authorities had considered culling or sterilizing the hippos due to their rapid population growth and ecological impact, but relocation costs are estimated at $3.5 million.
• Animal welfare activists oppose killing the hippos, advocating for humane solutions, while experts warn the hippos' unchecked growth harms local ecosystems, including fish and endangered species.