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Indian magnate offers to rehome 80 of Pablo Escobar's hippos
🇧🇴 Bolivia /Environment & Climate

Indian magnate offers to rehome 80 of Pablo Escobar's hippos

From El Deber · (11m ago) Spanish Positive tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Indian billionaire Anant Ambani has offered to relocate 80 of Pablo Escobar's hippos from Colombia to a sanctuary in India.
  • The hippos, descendants of those brought by Escobar in the 1980s, are considered an invasive species in Colombia and were slated for euthanasia.
  • Reports suggest the relocation is already underway, with the animals being transported by air to the Vantara sanctuary.

In a remarkable turn of events, a potential solution has emerged for the controversial population of hippos left behind by drug lord Pablo Escobar in Colombia. Indian billionaire Anant Ambani, son of Asia's richest man, has stepped forward with an offer to relocate 80 of these animals to his Vantara sanctuary in India.

Son seres vivos y sensibles y, si tenemos la posibilidad de salvarlos mediante una solución segura y humana, tenemos la responsabilidad de intentarlo

— Anant AmbaniThe Indian billionaire explaining his motivation to relocate the hippos.

These hippos, descendants of the four brought to Colombia by Escobar in the 1980s, have grown into a herd of nearly 200 and are classified as an invasive species. Their unchecked proliferation along the Magdalena River has raised environmental concerns, including water contamination and threats to native biodiversity, prompting the Colombian government to consider euthanasia.

Ambani, who is 31 and heads the Reliance Industries empire, stated his belief in the responsibility to save sentient beings if a safe and humane solution can be found. While the Colombian government has not officially responded to Ambani's offer, reports from Colombian media outlet Azteca Noticias suggest the relocation process has already begun, with video evidence of the animals being transported by air in specialized crates.

¡No serán sacrificados! Se inició el traslado de los 80 hipopótamos desde el Magdalena Medio, en Colombia, hacia el santuario Vantara, en India

— Azteca NoticiasReporting on the initiation of the hippo relocation.

This international effort aims to provide a dignified life for a significant portion of the hippos outside of Africa, addressing both Colombia's environmental challenges and the ethical considerations surrounding the animals' fate. The Vantara sanctuary already houses a variety of rescued animals, making it a fitting destination for these unique inhabitants of Colombia.

La ministra de Medio Ambiente, Irene Vélez, recordó que los cuatro hipopótamos que llevó a Colombia en los años 80 el narcotraficante Pablo Escobar se convirtieron en una manada invasora.

Explaining the origin and invasive nature of the hippos in Colombia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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