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Mukesh Ambani's son, Anant Ambani, has offered to help Colombia tackle its hippo problem. He has offered the Colombian government to transport 80 of those hippos, which the government is considering euthanising as the problem grows. An official response from the Colombian government is awaited.
A file image of Mukesh Ambani with his son, Anant Ambani, and daughter-in-law, Radhika Merchant(Vantara)Anant Ambani, son of Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, has recently offered to help Colombia by transporting its 80 hippos to his Vantara animal sanctuary in Gujarat, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
These hippos were linked to the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar, who was shot dead by the police in 1993. Escobar illegally imported exotic animals, including a male and a female hippopotamus, dubbed the "cocaine hippos". The herbivorous animals, native to sub-Saharan Africa, were originally imported for Escobar's entertainment; however, the beasts and their offspring were left to roam freely following his death.
Colombia's hippo problem
The country's Environment Ministry recently warned that the hippo population will exceed 500 by 2030 without intervention. The population of the herbivorous animal grew, and the government tried various methods to keep the population under check, including castration; however, none of these methods helped.
The government eventually decided to euthanise nearly 80 of these later this year. This comes after fishermen along the Magdalena River, one of Colombia's primary arteries, move with wary precision, where the hippopotamuses can surface without warning.
"These hippos are a true nightmare," said fisherman Wilinton Sanchez about the semi-aquatic animals capable of charging at speeds of up to 8 kilometres per hour in water and 30 kilometres on land, AP reported.
The decision to euthanise 80 hippos has now ignited a fierce debate, with scientists who advocated for euthanasia facing death threats, while animal welfare activists decry the measure as "murder".
Meanwhile, many residents of Puerto Triunfo, a town 200 kilometres from the capital, Bogota, fear that losing the animals will destroy the tourism that sustains their community.
Anant Ambani offers to solve Colombia's hippo problem
According to the BBC, Anant Ambani said that he is "willing to receive and care for" the animals at his private Vantara rescue centre. However, the Colombian government has not responded to the offer. In a letter to Bogota's environment minister, Ambani said they were ready to give the herd "lifelong care" in India.
The letter, which was published on Vantara's Instagram account, noted, "at the heart of this proposal is Vantara's belief that every life matters and that we have a shared responsibility to protect life wherever possible".
It is worth noting that the herbivorous animal is not native to India, and while Ambani's Vantara hosts bears, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, and tigers, it does not have any public record of housing a hippo, let alone 80 of them.
However, Ambani insisted that his sanctuary would give the Escobar hippos the safe home they needed. “Vantara has the expertise, infrastructure, and resolve to support this effort, entirely on Colombia’s terms,” his statement added.
Vantara rescue centre controversy
Anant Ambani's Vantara has been shrouded in controversy. While it is home to over 15,000 animals, including several endangered species, it has faced allegations of illegal and unethical sourcing of the animals, The Guardian reported. The international watchdog CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) has flagged alleged non-compliance with wildlife trade rules.
Additionally, critics have also accused Vantara of indirect complicity in wildlife trafficking, while others have slammed the sanctuary as the Ambani family's "vanity zoo", which the public cannot access.
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.
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