Anant Ambani, Executive Director at Reliance Industries and founder of Vantara, has written to the government of Colombia proposing a humane alternative to the planned culling of 80 hippopotamuses. In his letter to Irene Vélez Torres, Ambani offered to relocate the animals to Vantara, a conservation facility in Jamnagar.
The proposal comes after Colombia’s environment ministry announced a population control plan on April 13, allocating 7.2 billion pesos (around Rs 18.5 crore) for managing the invasive species. Authorities have cited ecological damage and risks to local communities as key reasons behind the move, including deteriorating water quality and threats to native wildlife.
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According to official sources, India is among seven countries being considered for translocation, alongside Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic, and South Africa. The Colombian government had reached out earlier this month, and a response from Indian authorities is awaited.
The hippopotamuses, descendants of animals introduced in the 1980s, currently number around 200 in the Magdalena River basin. Without intervention, officials estimate the population could surge to 500 by 2030 and nearly 1,000 by 2035, intensifying environmental concerns. Colombia formally declared them an invasive alien species in 2022.
Ambani emphasised that Vantara is equipped to handle the relocation, offering veterinary expertise, transport capabilities, and a natural habitat designed to mirror the animals’ existing ecosystem. He also requested a deferment of the proposed culling, stating that the initiative would be carried out only with approvals from both governments and relevant international authorities.
The Colombian ministry has indicated that culling could begin later this year if alternative solutions are not finalised.
