Reports say Anant Ambani has offered to bring 80 of the hippos to his Vantara sanctuary in Gujarat. The sanctuary says it is home to more than 150,000 animals, including endangered species. "If we have the ability to save them through a safe and humane solution, we have a responsibility to try," Ambani said in a statement.
But the sanctuary has faced criticism. Critics have alleged illegal and unethical sourcing of animals, and the wildlife trade monitoring network Cites flagged noncompliance with trade rules. Some have accused Vantara of indirect complicity in wildlife trafficking, while others call it a "vanity zoo" with no public access.
The Ambani family and Vantara deny the allegations. India's Supreme Court investigated and found no evidence of wrongdoing. A similar plan to relocate 60 hippos was proposed in 2023 but stalled due to logistical and permit issues, according to reports.
Ambani has directly appealed to the Colombian government for the translocation, which reports say would cost more than $4 million. "These 80 hippos did not choose where they were born, nor did they create the circumstances they now face," he said. It remains unclear if the Colombian government has responded or what the timeline for the move might be.