The descendants of hippos brought to Colombia by infamous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar might be getting a new home after the son of an Indian billionaire said he would take them.
In the 1980s, Escobar brought four hippos to Colombia for his own amusement, National Geographic recalled. After he was shot to death by authorities in 1993, the so-called "cocaine" hippos continued wandering through his property unattended before finally escaping into the Colombian wilderness.
Since then, the hippo population has grown, with some estimates placing it as high as 160, CNN has reported. The network reported that Colombia planned to halve the population, killing 80 of the hippos to control it and protect native wildlife and species.
Independent journalist and Colombian resident Audrey Huse told CBS News that the hippos have been disruptive to the local ecosystem.
"Because they have no natural predators here, as they would in Africa, the population is booming and it's affecting the local ecosystem," Huse said. "Because they are such large animals, they consume considerable amounts of grassland and produce significant waste, which then poisons the rivers."
However, now Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and who has a large animal sanctuary, is now saying he will take the animals.
"These 80 hippos did not choose where to be born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face," Ambani said. He added that the animals "are living, sentient beings, and if we have the capacity to save them through a safe and humane solution, we have the responsibility to try."
CBS News reported that the cost of transferring the animals would be around $3.5 million. The animals would live in the Vantara animal sanctuary in Jamnagar, India.
"Recognizing the complexities of the situation and the efforts being undertaken, Vantara has offered its support by submitting a proposal for consideration," Vantara said in a statement. "The proposal presents a fully resourced alternative, subject to the direction and approval of Colombian authorities at every stage, reflecting Vantara's belief that every life matters and that we share a responsibility to protect life wherever possible."
Ambani's father is the head of the multinational conglomerate Reliance Industries. The sanctuary is located next to the Reliance Jamnagar Refinery Complex, one of the largest crude oil refineries in the world, CBS News noted.
