PM Modi Inaugurates Vantara, a 3,000-Acre Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded Vantara, a wildlife conservation, rescue, and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, days after inaugurating the unique facility established by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Reliance Foundation.

Spread across 3,000 acres within the RIL refinery complex, Vantara provides a safe haven to over 2,000 species and 150,000 rescued, endangered, and threatened animals. During his visit on March 3, PM Modi explored the facility and interacted with several rehabilitated species.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Modi praised the initiative, calling it a “vibrant example of India’s centuries-old ethos of protecting wildlife”. He credited Anant Ambani and the Reliance team for their compassionate efforts in establishing this world-class conservation facility.

“At Vantara, I saw an elephant that was a victim of an acid attack, another that was blinded by its own mahout, and one hit by a speeding truck. Such cruelty is unacceptable. We must shift our focus to kindness towards animals,” PM Modi shared in an emotional post.

He also highlighted other instances of rescued wildlife, including a lioness with severe spinal injuries after being hit by a vehicle and a leopard cub abandoned by its family. Modi expressed deep appreciation for the specialised care provided to these animals.

During his visit, the PM was accompanied by Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani, and Anant Ambani, who led him through various sections of the facility. A seven-minute video shared by Modi captured him observing snow tigers, white lions, and a snow leopard through a glass partition. He also interacted with chimpanzees, orangutans, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, crocodiles, and even a two-headed snake.

Vantara’s hydrotherapy pools aid elephants suffering from arthritis, while its elephant hospital—the largest in the world—offers critical medical care. PM Modi commended the state-of-the-art conservation efforts, urging citizens to embrace compassion over cruelty.

The Reliance Foundation’s Vantara project marks a significant step in wildlife conservation, blending rescue, rehabilitation, and sustainability to create a model for global conservation efforts.