The history of the hippos left behind by Pablo Escobar in Colombia A new chapter with international repercussions has been added. After years of debate, failed proposals, and threats of slaughter, 80 of these animals will be transferred to a sanctuary in India, in a complex operation that blends science, politics, logistics, and environmental ethics.
The plan, promoted by the Indian businessman Anant Ambani and supported by the Association of Zoos, Breeding Centers and Aquariums of Mexico (AZCARM)It is presented as a way to avoid the mass euthanasia that the Colombian government had already authorized, while trying to alleviate the ecological pressure that these large mammals exert on the Magdalena River valley.
How Pablo Escobar's hippos ended up in the Magdalena River
This whole thing started in the eighties, when Pablo Escobar imported four African hippos for his private zoo at Hacienda Nápoles. After the drug lord's downfall, several of the animals were left unchecked, adapted to the environment, and began to reproduce rapidly.
Over time, the pack expanded throughout the banks and wetlands associated with the Magdalena River and surrounding areas. Without natural predators and with abundant food and water, the population skyrocketed to over 200 specimens, according to estimates from Colombian environmental authorities.
What at the time seemed almost an exotic curiosity turned into a serious problem: hippos were classified as invasive species with ecological and social riskReports such as the one from the Humboldt Institute, published in 2022, warned that their presence alters aquatic ecosystems, displaces native species and particularly threatens vulnerable animals such as the manatee.
In addition to the environmental impact, experts emphasize that these animals are territorial, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous for riverside communities, especially in areas where people share riverbanks, paths and water sources with hippos.
Faced with this situation, the Colombian government has been implementing a series of different strategies: attempts to surgical and chemical sterilizationproposals to relocate to other countries and, finally, the authorization of lethal measures to contain population growth.
Colombia's decision: euthanasia to control an invasive species
In mid-April, the Colombian Ministry of Environment He announced that he would proceed to cull 80 hippos. The measure was based on official projections that estimate that, without strong control, the population could reach nearly a thousand by 2035.
According to the environmental ministry, the non-lethal alternatives explored for years—relocation, partial confinement, mass sterilization—were considered insufficient, too expensive, or difficult to implement on the necessary scale. Furthermore, negotiations with various countries to receive the hippos had resulted in rejections.
In parallel, the technicians defined detailed protocols for the management and, if necessary, chemical euthanasia of the animals. The procedure begins with the installation of metal corrals near bodies of water and conflictive population centers, calculating a minimum of about 15 square meters per individual to minimize stress.
Bait is offered for several days —mixtures of carrots, cabbage, lettuce, fruit, mineral salt and molasses— inside and outside the enclosure, usually at dusk, when the hippos are most active. Once the animal enters and the gate is closed, it is given a cocktail of drugs via tranquilizer darts.
Veterinary protocols include different combinations of xylazine, ketamine, butorphanol, detomidine, azaperone, or medetomidineadjusted to the weight of each specimen. After a phase of deep sedation, with the hippopotamus lying on its side, the venous access is stabilized and, if the lethal measure is to be applied, an overdose of sodium pentobarbital or other high-potency anesthetic or analgesic agents is administered.
The mere possibility of implementing this strategy unleashed a strong public and scientific debateBoth within and outside of Colombia, animal rights organizations, academics, and international entities insisted that a different solution was still possible if an agreement could be reached to relocate at least a significant portion of the group.
Anant Ambani and the role of Vantara: India's offer to save the 80 hippos
In the midst of the controversy, a name that had been little known in the Colombian debate until then emerged forcefully: Anant Ambani, youngest son of tycoon Mukesh Ambani, considered the richest man in Asia and head of the Reliance Industries conglomerate.
Ambani sent a formal proposal to the Colombian government offering to receive the 80 hippos destined for euthanasia at the Vantara conservation center, a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation project located in the state of Gujarat, in western India.
In a statement, the businessman stressed that the animals are “living and sentient beings” They did not choose to be born in Colombia, nor the circumstances that now put them at risk. He asserted that if a safe and humane alternative exists, there is an ethical responsibility to try to implement it before resorting to sacrifice.
Ambani argued that the Compassion and public safety do not have to be incompatible.In his opinion, with a solid scientific basis and rigorous planning it is possible to protect local communities, preserve ecosystems and at the same time save the lives of hippos.
Vantara, backed by Reliance Industries and led by Anant Ambani, already houses primates, big cats, elephants and other rescued animalsMany of the animals come from illegal trafficking, circuses, or situations of abuse. The complex boasts large-scale facilities, veterinary hospitals, and animal welfare protocols designed for large mammals.
The Indian proposal is not merely a statement of intent. The sanctuary has shown itself willing to assume the costs of relocating and maintaining the 80 hipposprovided that Colombia grants the necessary permits and the process complies with international health and biosecurity standards.
AZCARM's mediation and international negotiations
In parallel to Ambani's offer, the Association of Zoos, Breeding Centers and Aquariums of Mexico (AZCARM) For years, they had been quietly working to prevent euthanasia in Colombia. Their president, Ernesto Zazueta, explained that the efforts began in 2023 with the goal of finding an ethical and sustainable solution for the species.
According to AZCARM, the agreement with Vantara is the result of more than three years of diplomatic, technical and environmental work between Mexico, India, and Colombia, as well as consultations with experts in conservation and animal welfare. The organization describes the project as one of the most significant wildlife relocation agreements in recent times.
During this period, other options were explored. Colombia proposed relocating hippos to countries like Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, South Africa, and even India itselfBut most governments responded negatively, whether for legal reasons, biosecurity concerns, or high logistical costs.
In the specific case of Mexico, sending about ten specimens to a private sanctuary was considered, but the idea fell through because regulatory restrictions on importing potentially invasive species and because of the high budget required for the specialized transport of animals of this size.
For Zazueta and other proponents of the plan, the agreement with Vantara demonstrates that the International cooperation can offer real alternatives to mass slaughter.In his opinion, this is not just a gesture towards Colombian hippos, but a precedent for how to address similar conflicts in other parts of the world.
From announcement to operation: permits, CITES and logistical challenges
The implementation of the relocation of the 80 hippos involves a highly complex logistics operationAZCARM and the Vantara sanctuary have stressed that everything must be done under international standards of animal welfare, biosecurity and health, with supervision from authorities of both countries.
A key element is Colombia's expedition of CITES export permitThe official document required by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is necessary. Although the hippos will not be traded for economic purposes, the cross-border movement of protected species requires this procedure to ensure monitoring, legality, and traceability.
Once that authorization is obtained, the plan includes the capture, sedation and transport in special containers designed to withstand the weight and physiological needs of the animals during a long journey, which will combine land and air transport.
From the Middle Magdalena region, the hippos would be transported to airports with the capacity to load heavy-duty aircraft, capable of transporting both the animals and the veterinary and handling staff who will accompany them at all times.
At its destination, the Vantara sanctuary must have ample enclosures, controlled bodies of water, and adequate containment systems to prevent the hippos from becoming, once again, a problematic species in a foreign environmentThe idea is to keep them in semi-captive conditions, with constant supervision.
What does this case mean for global conservation?
Beyond the immediate impact on Colombia and India, the transfer of the hippos of Escobar's legacy It raises fundamental questions about how invasive species originating from human activities should be managed, an issue that is also a concern in Europe and other regions.
In many countries, including the European Union, the standard policy on invasive alien species combines Strict prevention, early control and, in many cases, selective culling when expansion is already out of control. The argument is to protect native ecosystems and the safety of people.
The Colombian case, however, has generated an additional debate about the The weight of animal welfare and historical responsibility when the invasion is a direct consequence of documented human decisions, such as the creation of a private zoo by a famous drug trafficker.
Conservation experts point out that not all situations allow for an outcome like Vantara's: There is not always a receiving country. neither are there any organizations willing to invest in specialized facilities, nor any that would assume the costs of an operation of this magnitude. Therefore, they caution, this precedent should not be interpreted as a solution that can be automatically replicated for any conflict with invasive species.
However, the agreement has been described by its proponents as a historic step for international cooperation in the area of wildlife. For AZCARM, it demonstrates that, with political will and coordination between the public and private sectors, it is possible to design humane alternatives even in very complex contexts.
As preparations progress and permits and technical details are finalized, the 80 hippos that once formed part of Pablo Escobar's zoo are at the center of an unprecedented operation. Their potential journey to India reflects the extent to which a decision made decades ago on a Colombian ranch continues to have global consequences, and how science, international law, and environmental ethics are now attempting to rectify such an unusual and troubling legacy.
