Indian billionaire’s son offers to house Pablo Escobar’s hippos at his private zoo
The Guardian • • world
Key Points:
- Descendants of Pablo Escobar’s hippos, originally imported to Colombia and now feral, have become an environmental problem, prompting authorities to plan a mass cull.
- Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has offered to relocate 80 of these hippos to his Vantara animal sanctuary in Gujarat, India, to save them from extermination.
- Vantara sanctuary has faced allegations of illegal wildlife sourcing and trafficking, though investigations by the Indian Supreme Court found no evidence of wrongdoing; the sanctuary is also criticized as a private "vanity zoo."
- Moving the hippos to India poses significant logistical challenges and could cost over $4 million, with the plan requiring Colombian government approval and coordination with international wildlife organizations.
- The hippos, originally brought by Escobar in the 1980s, have thrived in Colombia due to lack of predators, but their growing population has caused ecological damage, leading to controversy over culling versus relocation efforts.
