Anant Ambani’s ambitious wildlife conservation project, Vantara, aims to rescue and rehabilitate animals globally. Spanning 3,000 acres, it is all set to become the world’s largest zoo and rehabilitation centre. Located within the premises of Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara, meaning ‘Star of the Forest’, seeks to elevate animal conservation to new heights, harbouring harmony and coexistence between humans and animals.
A peek into Vantara’s world-class facilities
Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation announce the launch of their Vantara programme. Vantara means Star of the Forest, an umbrella initiative to focus on rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad.… pic.twitter.com/svzlaI2iWR
— Reliance Foundation (@ril_foundation) February 26, 2024
Launched on February 26, 2024, Vantara features dedicated facilities for elephants and state-of-the-art accommodations for various animals including leopards, lions, tigers, and crocodiles. Alongside scientifically designed animal enclosures, the centre boasts hydrotherapy pools, a large elephant jacuzzi for arthritis treatment, and multiple water bodies.
The 1 lakh sq ft hospital and medical research centre offers advanced amenities like MRI, X-ray, ICU, CT scan, dental scalers, endoscopy, lithotripsy, dialysis, ultrasound, and video conferencing for surgeries. The exclusive Elephant Hospital provides specialised care with hyperbaric oxygen chambers, laser machines, and a pathology lab. Ayurvedic practitioners offer round-the-clock support and multani-mitti massages to the elephants.
The 14,000 sq ft kitchen, staffed by expert chefs, provides specially-curated diets tailored to each elephant’s needs and oral health concerns.
Rescue and rehabilitation
Vantara’s rescue and rehabilitation centre has allegedly saved and sheltered over 2,000 animals across 43 species from exploitative conditions. With a dedicated staff of 2,100, the centre continues to provide refuge to animals in need.
Vantara: Plans and collaborations
Inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy of ‘jeev seva’, Vantara aims to save critically endangered species and restore their habitats with this wildlife conservation project. It plans to collaborate with esteemed organisations like the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWFN) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as well as Indian governmental bodies such as the Zoo Authority of India, to enhance the standards of zoos across the country.
(Featured Image Credit: @ril_foundation/X)
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Written By
Yashita Vashishth
Writer by day, reader by night, Yashita has a flair for all things travel, wellness and food. She has previously worked at Condé Nast India and Times Internet. When not working, you can catch her binge-reading the latest thriller on the block, re-watching Friends, trying a new recipe or hosting her friends.