Animal Welfare Concerns: Colombia planning to kill 80 hippos linked to Pablo Escobar

This information was retrieved from CityNews article written by Manuel Rueda, dated April 13, 2026 and a CNN article written by González and Ramos, dated April 28, 2026.

In the 1980s, drug lord Pablo Escobar brought 4 hippos to Colombia from Africa in attempts to create a private zoo on his Hacienda Nápoles ranch. Since the 1980s, the hippo population has increased drastically, now totalling over 170 individuals.

Colombia and the Environment Minister have said that previous attempts to reduce the hippo population, such as neutering, or transfer to zoos, have proven unsuccessful. They believe the only option now is to kill 80 hippos, approximately half of the population now in the region. This decision has sparked animal welfare concerns across the globe. The reason that the hippos cannot be sent back to Africa is because they come from a limited gene pool, and may bring diseases or genetic defects to native African populations. There is much discussion about why this is the only option left, inviting the debate about animal rights.

Instead of killing the hippos, other options should be considered such as sanctuaries, or introducing new hippos to the gene pool to create more genetic diversity so that they can eventually be re-introduced to populations in Africa.

Image of Anant Ambani and his wife, Radhika Merchant. Photo credit of REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasFrancis Mascarenhas/Reuters

However, in late April 2026, another option appeared. Indian billionaire Anant Ambani has offered to take in the 80 hippos at his wildlife sanctuary. Ambani presents the argument that the hippos did not choose to be born at the Escobar estate, and therefore they should be offered another chance. Ambani would like to move the hippos to his conservation centre Vantara, which houses over 150,000 animals from over 2,000 species. There have been no solidified plans yet, but Ambani's proposal looks promising. His actions are admirable, and model how all animals should be treated, regardless of their circumstances.

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