NEW DELHI: India’s vast Vantara zoo, which calls itself the world’s largest animal rescue centre, has announced a major reset under the former head of a global wildlife watchdog following sharp criticism of its operations.
The overhaul follows concerns about its rapid acquisition of animals from around the world and questions about procedures for approving imports of protected species.
Founded by Anant Ambani, son of billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani, Vantara will shift away from importing animals and towards supporting conservation in their countries of origin, said John Scanlon, who was appointed on Thursday.
Scanlon, who headed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 2010 to 2018, will chair the centre’s newly created governing council, with authority over decisions on animal acquisitions.
“Vantara has sought, obtained, and acted upon external advice as it takes bold steps to reset its operations,” Scanlon said in a statement issued by Ambani’s Reliance Industries.
“In making this reset, it has decided to voluntarily strengthen its internal due diligence governance, expertise and processes, and to pivot from ex situ rescue towards providing in situ support to countries, including in India.”
The sprawling 1,416 hectare wildlife facility at Jamnagar, in the western state of Gujarat, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2025, housing endangered species on baking hot lands next to a giant oil refinery complex.
It has more than 260 Asian elephants, and includes what it says is the world’s “largest dedicated elephant hospital”, as well as scores of bears, tigers, lions, leopards and hundreds of crocodiles.
It offered in April to take hippos descended from those introduced to Colombia by drug kingpin Pablo Escobar, rather than have the animals killed.