Prepare for a groundbreaking initiative in wildlife conservation as Anant Ambani, the younger son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, unveils plans for a colossal animal shelter named ‘Vantara’ in Gujarat’s Jamnagar. Under the umbrella of Reliance Industries and the Reliance Foundation, this expansive 3,000-acre rehabilitation center aims to rescue and care for abused, injured, and endangered animals, mirroring Anant Ambani’s passion for wildlife conservation and sustainable energy.
Vantara, meaning ‘Star Of The Forest,’ is situated within Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Complex, the Green Belt Of Gujarat. The ambitious project recreates a lush, sylvan habitat for rescued animals and collaborates with renowned wildlife experts to achieve its goals.
What Vantara Offers
The state-of-the-art animal conservation center encompasses cutting-edge healthcare facilities, hospitals, research centers, and academic institutions. Vantara is set to collaborate with esteemed animal protection organizations, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).
Milestones of Vantara
Over the years, Vantara’s initiatives have rescued over 200 elephants and numerous reptiles and birds from exploitation and poaching. It has actively participated in key species rehabilitation, focusing on rhinos, leopards, and crocodiles. The center has also collaborated with international rescue centers in Mexico and Venezuela to save large, wild animals.
State-Of-The-Art Elephant Rescue Center
With a commitment to ensuring the prolonged survival of endangered elephants, Vantara features a Center For Elephants equipped with state-of-the-art shelters, day and night enclosures, hydrotherapy pools, and a large elephant jacuzzi for arthritis treatment. Manned by a 500-member-strong staff, including veterinarians, nutritionists, and pathologists, the center boasts one of the largest Elephant Hospitals globally.
The hospital, standing at 25,000 meters tall, is fully equipped with advanced medical facilities, including portable X-ray and laser machines, a pharmacy center, a pathology lab, and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. With a focus on personalized care, the center provides Multani-mitti massages and hot oil therapy for elephants, overseen by a team of experienced Ayurveda experts.
Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Center
Vantara’s Rescue & Rehabilitation Center, managed by a 2,100-strong staff, shelters over 200 leopards recovering from accidents or potential poaching. The center has also rescued more than 1,000 crocodiles from overcrowded facilities in Tamil Nadu. In total, Vantara has rehabilitated over 2,000 animals across 43 species, including elephants, large felines, herbivores, and reptiles.
Facilities at the center include an ICU, MRI, CT scan, X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, dental scalars, lithotripsy, dialysis, and OR1 technology for live video conferences during surgeries. Vantara has also initiated a conservation-focused breeding program to preserve endangered species and repopulate them.
Meet The Visionary Behind Vantara
Anant Ambani, Director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation, conceived and created Vantara. Passionate about wildlife conservation and sustainable energy, he is also leading Reliance’s renewable energy project in Jamnagar to make the company Net Carbon Zero by 2035.
In a media interaction, Ambani shared his inspiration for Vantara, emphasizing its mission to protect critically endangered species native to India and become a global beacon of hope for biodiversity conservation. He aligns the philosophy of Vantara with the age-old Indian principle of ‘jeev seva,’ equating caring for animals with a duty towards the Almighty and humanity.
