Anant’s ‘Vantara’: First Look Revealed, VIDEO: Reliance Unveils Jungle in Jamnagar, World’s Largest Animal Care Center, Elephants Lifted by Crane

In Jamnagar, with the support of Reliance Industries, the world’s largest rescue center is being established near Khavdi. This is the country’s first-ever animal rescue center of its kind. It’s a part of Reliance Industries’ social responsibility efforts. Today, Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation have launched the ‘Star of Forests’ program under the vision of Anant Ambani. This program aims to work towards the rescue, care, conservation, and rehabilitation of endangered animals both in India and abroad.

The animal rescue center will not be accessible to the general public. However, Divya Bhaskar is taking you on a tour of this animal rescue center.

The rescue center is spread across 3000 acres of greenbelt area.

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation have launched the ‘Star of Forests’ program under the vision of Anant Ambani. This program aims to work towards the rescue, care, conservation, and rehabilitation of endangered animals both in India and abroad. The animal rescue center is situated within the 3000 acres of greenbelt area surrounding Reliance’s refinery in Jamnagar.

Vanatara contributes to global animal conservation by working with animal care and welfare experts. Their goal is to make a significant contribution to animal conservation at a global level. Vanatara has created forests on 3000 acres of land to provide a complete natural and green environment for rescued animals.

The Anant Ambani Dream Project.

Vanatara was initially conceptualized by Anant Ambani, the director of Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation. Following this, Anant Ambani has been spearheading Reliance’s ambitious projects, including its renewable energy business. He is leading Reliance’s journey towards becoming a net-zero carbon company by 2035.

Modern hospitals for the healthcare of animals.

Vanatara focuses on establishing itself as the premier center for animal conservation and care by integrating state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, hospitals, research, and educational centers into its portfolio. It aims to set the benchmark for excellence in animal protection and care. Within its programs, Vanatara emphasizes the integration of cutting-edge research and collaboration with esteemed international universities and organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).

Over 200 elephants have been rescued through this program.

In recent years, this program has rescued over 200 elephants and thousands of other animals, including reptiles and birds, from precarious situations. The primary focus of this initiative is the rehabilitation of key species such as elephants, rhinos, and crocodiles. Recently, Vanatara has also participated in foreign rescue missions in countries like Mexico and Venezuela. With the assistance of the Central American wildlife authorities, many large animals have been brought back from there. All these rescue and rehabilitation missions operate under stringent legal and regulatory frameworks both in India and at the international level.

Our efforts have been recognized internationally: Anant Ambani.

In this context, Anant Ambani mentioned that the passion with which the work began at a very young age for me has now become a mission with Vanatara and our dedicated and committed team. We have focused on the conservation of endangered species of Indian origin. We have established vital habitats and aimed to mitigate risks for species, establishing Vanatara as a leading conservation program. We are delighted that our efforts have been recognized both in India and internationally. We have engaged some of India’s and the world’s top wildlife scientists and medical experts in our mission, and we are fortunate to have received active support and guidance from government agencies, research, and educational institutions.

Vanatara should become a ray of hope globally.

The purpose of Vanatara is to collaborate with the Central Zoo Authority of India and other relevant government agencies to improve training, capacity building, and animal care standards across all 150+ zoos in India. We hope that Vanatara becomes a ray of hope globally and demonstrates how visionary thinking can help support global biodiversity conservation initiatives.

Service to animals is service to God and humanity.

Anant Ambani, who provides insight into the philosophical aspects inspiring the establishment of Vanatara, expressed, “I perceive service to living beings (animal care) as a form of service to God and humanity. Vanatara provides facilities for various species, including elephants, lions, tigers, crocodiles, and other large and small species.”

The elephant center for Vanatara spans 3000 acres and features state-of-the-art shelters, scientifically designed enclosures for day and night, hydrotherapy pools, water bodies, and a vast elephant jacuzzi for the management of elephant arthritis. The center houses homes for more than 200 elephants. It is managed round the clock by over 500 specialized and trained staff, including veterinarians, biologists, pathologists, nutritionists, and naturalists.

Here is an elephant hospital.

Adjacent to the center is the world’s largest elephant hospital, spanning 25,000 square feet. It is fully equipped with portable X-ray machines, various laser machines for treatments, a complete pharmacy, pathology for all diagnostic tests, imported elephant restraining devices for diagnosis, hydraulic pools and cranes, hydraulic surgical tables, and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for elephants. The hospital conducts both cataract and endoscopic guided surgeries (with specially designed endoscopic instruments) and is capable of performing any necessary surgical procedures.

The center also houses a special kitchen spanning 14,000 square feet, which prepares specially selected meals taking into consideration the individual oral health and specific physical needs of each elephant. The kitchen caters to the elephants’ care by experimenting with Ayurvedic practices, where Ayurvedic practitioners work round the clock, offering treatments ranging from warm oil massages to mud therapies for the elephants.

Spread across 650 acres, the Rescue and Rehabilitation Center has been developed on 3000 acres of land for circus or neglected wild animals. The center provides a vast sanctuary for rescued and rehabilitated animals from India and around the world. With approximately more than 2100 staff members, the Rescue and Rehabilitation Center has saved nearly 200 elephants from accidents or conflicts between humans and wild animals across India.

More than 1000 crocodiles have been rescued from crowded and congested facilities in Tamil Nadu by this center. It has rescued severely distressed animals from hunting grounds in Africa and facilities in Mexico. The center features a state-of-the-art hospital and medical research center spanning over one lakh square feet. It is equipped with cutting-edge technology including ICU, MRI, CT scan, X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, dental scaler, lithotripsy, dialysis, surgeries, and blood plasma separators, along with live video conferencing for ORVAN technology. This hospital and research center are located nearby.

The Rescue and Rehabilitation Center oversees more than 2000 animals from 43 species, including 300 cheetahs. The center has initiated a conservation breeding program for endangered species, both Indian and foreign, with the aim of reintroducing them into their natural habitats to augment their dwindling numbers. This effort aims to restore their dwindling populations by reintegrating them into their original habitats. Today, the sanctuary hosts over 200 elephants, more than 300 cheetahs, tigers, lions, jaguars, and over 300 herbivores such as deer, as well as over 1200 reptiles including crocodiles, snakes, and turtles, fostering life and hope for generations to come.

Following rules and regulations governing rescue and exchange, rescued animals are brought under the jurisdiction of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in accordance with the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and the Wildlife (Protection) Rules of 2009. After obtaining approvals from the Chief Wildlife Warden of the respective states and permissions from the CZA, animals are exchanged. Exchange requests from both domestic and foreign organizations are considered by wildlife authorities, including the Central Zoo Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. Once necessary approvals are obtained, animals are exchanged accordingly.