The possibility of relocating dozens of hippos from Colombia to India, in one of the most unusual wildlife operations of recent years, began to take shape following the announcement of the upcoming arrival in the South American country of an Indian delegation that will assess on the ground the logistical feasibility of the process.
The visit comes amid pressure on the Colombian government to control the expansion of these animals, descendants of the specimens illegally introduced in the 1980s by drug trafficker Pablo Escobar at his Hacienda Nápoles estate and which, as an invasive species, now pose a serious threat to environmental balance.
The plan emerged after Indian businessman Anant Ambani offered to finance and take responsibility for relocating 80 hippos to India, specifically to the Vantara wildlife conservation center, located in the state of Gujarat.
The proposal surfaced shortly after Colombian authorities warned about the need to cull a large portion of the hippo population due to the environmental impact they generate in the Magdalena Medio region.
Indian organization to visit Colombia to evaluate hippo relocation efforts
Yesterday, Wednesday, Colombia’s Environment Ministry confirmed that experts and veterinarians from the Vantara wildlife center — owned by Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Asia’s richest man — will carry out a technical visit to Colombia to assess the conditions for relocating the 80 hippos that the organization intends to house at its facilities in India.
“The delegation will consist of experts and veterinarians specialized in the management of this invasive exotic species, who will assess the current conditions of the hippos and work together with the country’s health, environmental and technical authorities on the development of a comprehensive relocation proposal, covering technical, logistical and financial aspects,” the Ministry said.
The objective is to assess the logistics required to relocate around 80 individuals of this invasive species to India, evaluating methods and costs to guarantee the success of the complex operation. On the matter, Colombia’s Environment Minister, Irene Velez, stated that the country remains in dialogue with India and other interested nations, in compliance with national protocols and the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, CITES.
The process involves enormous logistical challenges. Each adult hippo can weigh more than two tons, requiring the design of complex capture, sedation, and ground and air transport operations. In addition, international permits related to wildlife, health controls, and quarantine protocols in both Colombia and India will need to be secured.
Sources linked to the project indicate that the Indian mission will also analyze the most suitable routes to transport the animals from the Magdalena Medio region to airports capable of supporting an operation of this scale. They would then be transferred on specially equipped cargo flights to Gujarat.
Although there is still no final agreement, the delegation’s visit represents the most concrete step taken so far toward attempting to carry out the international relocation of Colombia’s hippos.
Avanzando en la implementación del Plan Integral para el Manejo de los Hipopótamos, especie exótica invasora en Colombia, hoy sostuvimos una reunión con Vantara, organización de India que realizará una visita técnica al país para evaluar alternativas de translocación. En… pic.twitter.com/b140W3c6tN
— Irene Vélez-Torres (@IreneVelezT) May 6, 2026
A drug trafficker’s extravagance that is now an environmental problem in Colombia
What began as one of Escobar’s extravagant whims ultimately became one of Colombia’s biggest environmental problems involving invasive species. In the late 1980s, the Medellin cartel boss imported four African hippos for his private zoo at Hacienda Napoles, located between the municipalities of Puerto Triunfo and Doradal, in the department of Antioquia.
After Escobar’s death in 1993, many of the non-native animals were transferred to zoos and reserves, but the hippos remained in the area due to the enormous difficulties involved in moving them. For years, the animals reproduced uncontrollably in wetlands and rivers near the Magdalena River, benefiting from the absence of natural predators and favorable climate conditions.
Today, the population far exceeds several hundred individuals, and official projections warn that it could multiply rapidly in the coming years if urgent measures are not adopted.
Various environmental studies have warned about the impact of these animals on aquatic ecosystems, the disruption of local flora and fauna, and the risk posed to riverside communities, especially fishermen and farmers living near areas where the hippos roam.
Over recent years, the Colombian government has attempted to contain the species’ expansion through sterilization and reproductive control programs, although results have been limited due to the rapid population growth and the high cost of veterinary interventions.
The debate intensified when environmental authorities began raising the possibility of culling dozens of animals to reduce the ecological impact. The measure sparked a fierce debate inside and outside Colombia, with animal rights organizations rejecting any plan for mass elimination and calling for less aggressive alternatives.
It was in this context that Ambani’s proposal emerged. The heir to one of Asia’s largest fortunes and head of Vantara formally requested that the Colombian government suspend the planned culling and allow the relocation of 80 hippos to specialized facilities in Gujarat.
According to the proposal made public in recent days, Vantara would assume both the costs of the operation and the permanent care of the animals. The project includes veterinary teams, biosecurity protocols, and the construction of adapted spaces to house the hippos relocated from Colombia.