Vantara
Animal conservation centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vantara (transl. Star of the Forest)[1] is an animal rescue, care, and rehabilitation initiative established by the Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries.[2] It is located within a 3,500-acre green belt at Motikhavdi village in Jamnagar district, Gujarat, India.[3][4] The project was officially launched on 26 February 2024 and was inaugurated by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 4 March 2025.[5][6]
| Vantara | |
|---|---|
| |
 Anant Ambani at Vantara with elephants | |
 Interactive map of Vantara | |
| 22.326517°N 69.924159°E | |
| Date opened | 4 March 2025 |
| Location | Motikhavdi, Jamnagar district, Gujarat, India |
| Land area | 3,500 acres (14 km2; 5.5 sq mi) |
| No. of animals | 47,633 - 150,000 reported |
| No. of species | 2,000+ reported |
| Annual visitors | 0 (no public access) |
| Owner | Reliance Foundation |
| Management | Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Reliance Foundation |
| Website | https://vantara.in/ |
Published figures for the number of animals housed under the Vantara initiative have varied considerably, ranging from more than 2,000 rescued animals in early 2024 to more than 25,000 animals of 48 species at the time of its inauguration; a 2025 CITES compliance document reported 47,633 animals across the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre and the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust as of 11 September 2025, while Vantara and some media reports described the wider initiative as housing more than 150,000 animals across over 2,000 species.[7][8][9][10]
In 2025, Vantara received the Prani Mitra award in the corporate category from the Animal Welfare Board of India.[11][12] The initiative has also drawn scrutiny over animal sourcing, its non-public status, media-related disputes, the relocation of the temple elephant Mahadevi, and other aspects of its operations. In August 2025, the Supreme Court of India appointed a Special Investigation Team to examine allegations relating to wildlife acquisition and related issues; the Court accepted the panel's report in September 2025 and closed the petitions before it.[13][14] Separately, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Secretariat raised concerns in November 2025 about aspects of India's wildlife-import procedures, but the CITES Standing Committee did not adopt trade-restrictive measures against India at its meeting in Samarkand later that month.[15][16]
History
In media interviews, Anant Ambani has credited his interest in animal welfare to a childhood experience during a family trip between Jaipur and Ranthambore, where they encountered an injured elephant that was subsequently rescued. He described this event as influential in shaping the family's involvement in animal care.[17] Over time, these efforts transitioned from informal activities to a structured program under the Reliance Foundation.[18] The foundation has stated that the initiative draws inspiration from the concept of jeev seva (service to living beings), which it links to the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.[19][20]
The facility received its first animal, an elephant named Gauri, in 2009. Gauri had previously been kept in an urban setting in Rajasthan before being moved to the centre.[21] The Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) was granted approval by the Central Zoo Authority in 2019.[22]
In 2024, twenty elephants formerly used in logging operations in Arunachal Pradesh were relocated to the facility.[23][24] The elephants had previously been used to drag timber and had been kept chained during parts of their working lives.[25] Wildlife activists and legal experts questioned the relocation of some elephants to a facility far from their original habitat region.[26]
In May 2024, approximately 1,825 animals, including jaguars, tapirs, crocodiles and various monkey species, were brought from Venezuela, transported by air. According to official statements cited in contemporary reporting, the transfer was approved by relevant forest departments and overseen by a court-appointed committee.[27][28][29]
By 2025, published figures for animals housed under the Vantara initiative varied between sources, ranging from 10,360 wild animals of 345 species at the GZRRC in the 2023–24 annual report to 47,633 animals across the GZRRC and RKTEWT in a September 2025 CITES compliance document; Vantara and some later media reports described the wider initiative as housing more than 150,000 animals across over 2,000 species.[30][9][10] In 2025, it was awarded the Prani Mitra National Award in the corporate category from the Animal Welfare Board of India.[31][32]
The facility has been involved in supporting the Maharashtra Forest Department in matters related to wildlife management. In late 2025, the Maharashtra Forest Department proposed relocating up to 50 leopards from parts of Pune district to Vantara in response to rising human–wildlife conflict, and the Central Zoo Authority approved the proposal.[33][34] By March 2026, 20 leopards from Junnar had been relocated to Vantara.[35]
Facilities and conservation
The primary rescue-and-rehabilitation zone within Vantara is the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC), a Central Zoo Authority-recognized facility established in 2019, which spans around 650 acres.[36][22] The remaining area includes veterinary units, administrative buildings and support infrastructure, bringing the total campus area to about 3,500 acres.[37] The facility is not open to the general public.[38][6]
Among the key units is the Centre for Elephants, which includes an elephant hospital equipped with hydrotherapy pools, medical imaging systems and other specialized veterinary tools. The broader Wildlife Hospital and Research Centre reportedly covers around 100,000 square feet and includes MRI, CT scan, ultrasound, X-ray, surgical rooms and quarantine facilities.[8][36]
Animal care is structured through species-specific enclosures, including dedicated zones for big cats, reptiles, herbivores and exotic animals. The initiative operates under the regulatory frameworks set by the Central Zoo Authority and relevant state wildlife departments. It also maintains internal security and animal transport services.[7][39]
Some animal welfare and conservation groups have questioned the suitability of the Jamnagar site for large-scale, long-term care of rescued and exotic animals, citing its climate, private status and proximity to industrial infrastructure.[38][40]
In December 2025, Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry sought technical input from Vantara following the death of a Sumatran elephant linked to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV). According to media reports, a Vantara veterinary team travelled to Riau to review cases, share clinical protocols and provide advisory guidance on early detection and veterinary response.[41]
Scrutiny
Animal sourcing
A March 2024 investigative report by Himal Southasian alleged that Vantara's demand for animals could affect the global wildlife trade under the guise of conservation.[42] The report examined animal transfers to the facility, including imports from several countries, and raised questions about the legitimacy of sources and compliance with international and Indian wildlife laws.[43] Critics questioned the transparency of these operations and argued that large-scale acquisitions from small or poorly monitored suppliers could create incentives for illegal wildlife capture and trade; Vantara has said its animal transfers are legal and compliant with applicable standards.[44] The investigative report was republished by the Pulitzer Center.[45]
On 19 May 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed a contempt petition filed by GZRRC against Himal Southasian, holding that no prior judicial direction requiring removal of the article had been shown.[46][47][48]
In March 2025, a coalition of 30 South African animal rights groups, under the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA), urged their government to investigate the export of wild animals to Vantara.[49] The coalition expressed concerns over potential violations of international wildlife trade regulations, particularly regarding animals sourced from South African breeding facilities. It also highlighted previous CITES concerns about India's compliance in relation to live animal imports, including critically endangered species.[50] Vantara refuted the allegations, stating that all animal transfers were conducted in compliance with South African and Indian laws.[51] Some wildlife specialists and activists also questioned the suitability of Jamnagar for a large population of elephants and other animals.[40][52]
Following public concern and litigation over Vantara's wildlife acquisition practices, the Supreme Court of India, in late August 2025, constituted a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar to examine allegations surrounding the facility. These included claims of illegal wildlife acquisition or smuggling, violations of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, failure to comply with CITES, irregularities in international documentation, and questions about the suitability of the Jamnagar site for such a large population of exotic and endangered species.[53][13] The SIT carried out field inspections at Vantara, reviewed permits and import/export records, and coordinated with statutory and enforcement bodies, including the Central Zoo Authority, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, state forest departments, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and the Enforcement Directorate.[53] Its sealed report was submitted to the Supreme Court on 12 September 2025 and concluded that Vantara had not violated legal or ethical standards in its acquisition and care of animals.[14][10]
On 15 September 2025, the Supreme Court accepted the SIT's findings and closed the pending petitions and complaints before it. The Court stated that further complaints on the same set of allegations would not be entertained by judicial, statutory or administrative forums.[14] Summaries of the SIT's conclusions were shared in court filings and media reports, but the complete report itself has not been publicly released.[53] In March 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed a fresh petition seeking another probe into animal imports at Vantara, holding that the issues had already been examined.[54]
In November 2025, the CITES Secretariat identified discrepancies in some import records and recommended additional safeguards for India's issue of wildlife-import permits.[15][9] The matter was considered at the 79th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Samarkand on 23 November 2025. The committee did not adopt trade-restrictive measures against India, while indicating that compliance could continue to be reviewed if necessary.[55][16]
Media disputes
Following reports on concerns raised by WAPFSA, several Indian media outlets took down or altered articles on the matter.[56] Outlets including Deccan Herald, The Telegraph (India) and The Tribune (India) removed stories without public explanation,[57] while others, including The Financial Express (India), replaced critical pieces with more favourable coverage. Some media organizations, including Northeast Now and Vartha Bharati, reported receiving threatening emails or offers of financial incentives to delete or modify coverage.[58]
In October 2025, an investigation by The News Minute and Newslaundry reported an organized campaign to suppress critical coverage. The report identified a fraudulent entity operating as "Aspire Law Firm", which used the stolen identity of a prominent Indian cyber law expert to send spoofed legal threats and copyright takedown notices to journalists in Africa, Brazil, Germany and India.[59] The same investigation reported that fake emails purporting to be from "Google Legal Support" were used to pressure publishers into removing articles.[59]
A separate report in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung said that an English translation of a March 2025 German-language investigation into Vantara was removed from Scribd after a copyright complaint from an entity falsely claiming to act for the newspaper.[60]
Public access and private visits
Vantara is not open to the general public, a feature that has figured in criticism of the initiative alongside concerns about animal sourcing and private visits to the facility.[40][38] Critics have raised concerns about private control over rescued and exotic wildlife, while supporters have cited its veterinary infrastructure and capacity for long-term care.[40][6]
During the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, some guests reportedly visited Vantara or participated in events themed around the facility.[61][62][63] Critics cited the visits as part of wider concerns about the use of animals in a private facility that is not open to the general public. Vantara has described such visits as educational and approved by the Central Zoo Authority under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 2009. No formal violation in relation to these visits has been documented.[64]
Mahadevi elephant relocation
In July 2025, the relocation of an ailing elephant named Mahadevi, also known as Madhuri, to Vantara sparked controversy. The elephant had been kept at a Jain temple in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, for three decades before being moved to Vantara following a court order.[40] The transfer led to protests in Maharashtra on 3 August 2025, and some protesters threatened to boycott Reliance's Jio telecom services.[65] In response to the criticism, the state's chief minister announced that the government would seek a review in the Supreme Court for Mahadevi's return.[40] Vantara and PETA India supported the transfer on animal-welfare grounds.[66]
In popular media
In November 2025, a six-part documentary series titled Vantara: Sanctuary Stories premiered on JioHotstar.[67] Hosted by wildlife biologist Forrest Galante, the series documented the facility's rescue operations, veterinary infrastructure and animal rehabilitation work.[68]