Nigerian biologist Iroro Tanshi rediscovered the short-tailed roundleaf bat, believed extinct since the 1970s, in Nigeria's Afi mountain wildlife sanctuary. Her work combats deforestation, hunting, and wildfires threatening bat populations.
Russia's GUZI, led by Svetlana Akulova, is spearheading an international campaign to save 80 'cocaine hippos' in Colombia, descendants of animals once owned by Pablo Escobar, from planned euthanasia due to their invasive threat.
Anant Ambani, son of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani, has offered to receive and care for Colombia's population of hippos descended from animals illegally imported by drug lord Pablo Escobar. The herd of around 80 hippos, dubbed 'cocaine hippos', has grown from an original male and female pair kept at Escobar's Hacienda Nápoles ranch. Colombia, which has struggled to control the invasive species, decided to cull them. Vantara zoo in Gujarat says it is ready to provide lifelong care.
Anant Ambani, CEO of Reliance Industries Limited, has offered to save 80 hippos slated for culling in Colombia by relocating them to Gujarat, India. The hippos are descendants of animals brought to Pablo Escobar's private ranch in the 1980s. After Escobar's death in 1993, the population grew to approximately 170 animals. Colombia had considered transporting them to Africa at $3.5 million per animal, but opted for culling after sterilization and zoo transfer attempts failed.
