Jamnagar/New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative in Jamnagar, Gujarat, set up by Anant Ambani.
Accompanied by Anant Ambani, the son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, the PM was seen feeding lion cubs, feeding rescued giraffe, watching crocodiles swim in the water, all the while as Anant Ambani explained the conservation park and its features to him.
In separate posts on X, the PM wrote:
“Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort.”
“An effort like Vantara is truly commendable, a vibrant example of our centuries old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with. Here are some glimpses…”
“At Vantara, I saw an elephant which was the victim of an acid attack. The elephant was being treated with utmost care. There were other elephants too, which were blinded and that too ironically by their Mahout. Another elephant was hit by a speeding truck. This underscores an important question – how can people be so careless and cruel? Let us put an end to such irresponsibility and focus on kindness towards animals.”
“There were other instances too. A lioness was hit by a vehicle with severe spinal injuries. She was getting proper care. A leopard cub abandoned by her family got a new lease of life, with proper nutritional care. I compliment the team at Vantara for the care given to several such animals.”
Vantara, located in Jamnagar, is a state-of-the-art animal rescue, conservation, and rehabilitation center established by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation.
Spanning an impressive 3,500 acres within the Reliance Jamnagar Refinery Complex, this sanctuary serves as a hub for wildlife care and preservation.
At the wildlife hospital in Vantara, PM Modi observed advanced veterinary facilities including MRI, CT scan, and ICU, as well as specialized departments such as wildlife anesthesia, cardiology, nephrology, endoscopy, dentistry and internal medicine.
During his visit, the Prime Minister interacted with several cubs of Asiatic lions, including a white lion, a rare clouded leopard and a caracal, and fed them milk and food.
The white lion cub fed by Prime Minister Modi was born at Vantara after its rescued mother was brought to the Vantara Animal Rescue Centre.
He saw a scan of an Asiatic lion at the hospital’s MRI room and visited the operation theatre where surgeon doctors were treating a leopard injured in a highway accident.
Vantara Animal Rescue Centre maintains an environment that mimics natural habitats for rescued animals. The conservation programmes at Vantara Animal Rescue Centre focus on species such as the Asiatic lion, snow leopard and one-horned rhinoceros.
The Prime Minister also had close encounters with several predators, including a golden tiger, four snow tigers rescued from a circus, a white lion and a snow leopard.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also seen patting an okapi, meeting a free-roaming chimpanzee, and was hugged by an orangutan. He watched hippos underwater, watched crocodiles swim, he also walked among zebras, and fed a giraffe and an orphaned baby rhinoceros.
The Prime Minister’s visit included seeing a giant python, a two-headed snake, a two-headed tortoise, tapirs, rescued leopard cubs, giant otters, bongo antelopes and seals.
He also visited the world’s largest elephant hospital. The Prime Minister also interacted with the medical team, support staff and the staff managing the facilities at the centre.
Vantara is the vision of Anant Ambani and focuses on addressing critical issues like habitat loss, human-animal conflict, and poaching.
The center is home to over 2,000 animals across 43 species, supported by cutting-edge facilities such as advanced veterinary equipment, spacious enclosures mimicking natural habitats, and an expert team of over 2,100 staff.
Vantara not only promotes animal welfare but also aims to educate visitors on conservation efforts and the importance of biodiversity.
UNI
