The hippos are descended from animals illegally introduced to Colombia in the 1980s by the drug lord Pablo Escobar, who kept a private zoo at his Hacienda Nápoles estate. After his death, the animals were left unchecked and have since multiplied, with estimates placing the population at around 160.

Reported by CNN, their growing numbers have raised environmental concerns, as the invasive species is said to threaten native wildlife and ecosystems in the Magdalena River basin. Colombian authorities recently announced plans to cull around 80 hippos as part of a wider population control strategy.

Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, has asked the Colombian government to reconsider the cull and instead allow the transfer of the animals to Vantara, his private conservation and rescue centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

“These 80 hippos did not choose where to be born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face,” he said in a social media post. He added that the animals are “living, sentient beings” and that if humane relocation is possible, it should be pursued.

Vantara, which already houses more than 150,000 animals across over 2,000 species, has proposed providing lifelong care for the hippos in a specially designed habitat intended to replicate key features of their current environment.

In a statement signed by Vantara’s chief executive, Vivaan Karani, the organisation said it had formally written to Colombia’s environment ministry, urging authorities to reconsider the cull and instead explore relocation. It added that any transfer would require full regulatory approval, biosecurity clearance and detailed logistical planning.

The centre also expressed willingness to engage directly with Colombian officials to discuss the proposal and invited representatives of the government to visit its facilities in India.

Colombian Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres has previously defended the culling proposal, citing the need to control an invasive species that could otherwise expand significantly in coming years. Officials have warned that, without intervention, the hippo population could rise sharply and further disrupt local ecosystems and native species such as river turtles and manatees.

Earlier discussions by the Colombian government had included possible relocation options to several countries, but officials said these had not advanced due to international restrictions and logistical challenges.

The hippos, now classified as an invasive exotic species in Colombia, can live for up to 50 years and have become a controversial symbol of the long-term environmental legacy left by Escobar’s private menagerie.