Son of Indian tycoon Ambani offers refuge to Escobar’s hippos

The lad of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani has offered to rescue the hippos descended from those introduced to Colombia by cause lord Pablo Escobar, successful an effort to forestall their euthanasia.

Anant Ambani announced that helium has submitted a ceremonial petition to the Colombian authorities to suspend the implementation of the culling determination for the animals, which person caused disruption successful rivers crossed the South American country.

Anant Ambani has asked for support to “relocate” the 80 animals safely to the Vantara zoo, located successful the occidental Indian authorities of Gujarat.

The zoo describes itself arsenic “one of the largest wildlife rescue, attraction and conservation centers successful the world.” Among different animals, it already hosts hundreds of elephants, 50 bears, 160 tigers, 200 lions, 250 leopards and 900 crocodiles, according to India’s Central Zoo Authority.

Wildlife extortion experts person repeatedly expressed concerns astir the ample influx of animals into the facility, peculiarly the instauration of endangered species.

In the 1980s, successful Colombia, Pablo Escobar brought a brace of hippos to his backstage zoo successful the north-central portion of the country.

After his decease successful 1993 and the seizure of his assets, the mammals were near unattended and began reproducing. Some of them person attacked fishermen successful the Magdalena River, the largest stream successful Colombia.

Anant Ambani, lad of the president of Reliance Industries, said helium has submitted a elaborate program to supply a caller location for the animals.

The connection includes capturing and transporting the hippos nether veterinary supervision, arsenic good arsenic creating “a specially designed, naturalistic habitat” for the mammals, according to a property release.

“Vantara has the indispensable expertise, infrastructure and committedness to enactment this effort, wholly nether Colombian conditions,” helium stressed, adding: “These hippos are sentient beings, and if we person the quality to prevention them done a harmless and humane solution, we person a work to try.”