PM Modi at Vantara: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited and inaugurated Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre located in the Jamnagar district of Gujarat, on Tuesday. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani, their son Anant Ambani and daughter-in-law Radhika Merchant were also present at the inauguration.
During his visit, PM Modi explored various facilities at the centre and spent time with various animals that have been rehabilitated there. He also checked the wildlife hospital at Vantara and saw the veterinary facilities, which are equipped with MRI, CT scans, and ICUs, among others.
Watch the video here:
In a video, the Prime Minister was seen engaging closely with various animal species that have been rehabilitated there.
The video, shared on PM Modi's official YouTube handle, shows him playing with and feeding several species, including Asiatic Lion cubs, a White Lion cub, the rare and endangered Clouded Leopard cub, and a Caracal cub, among others.
The White Lion cub which was fed by PM Modi was born at the centre after his mother was rescued and brought to Vantara for care. The Caracals, which were once in abundance in India, are now becoming a rare sight. In Vantara, Caracals are bred under a breeding programme in captivity for their preservation and are released in the wild later.
The PM visited the MRI room at the hospital and witnessed an Asiatic Lion undergoing an MRI. He also visited the Operation Theatre where a Leopard was going through a life-saving surgery after being hit by a car on the highway and brought here after rescue.
The rescued animals at the centre are kept in places which closely mirror their natural habitat. Some of the key conservation initiatives undertaken at the Centre include the Asiatic Lion, Snow Leopard, One-Horned Rhinoceros, among others.
He sat face to face with Golden Tiger, 4 Snow Tigers who were brothers and were rescued from a circus where they were made to perform tricks, White Lion and Snow Leopard.
The PM patted an Okapi, came face to face with Chimpanzees in the open who were got from a facility where they were kept as pets, hugged and lovingly played with Orangutans who were earlier kept in an overcrowded facility, saw up close a Hippopotamus which was underwater, saw crocodiles, undertook a walk in between Zebras, fed a Giraffe and a Rhino calf. The one-horned rhino calf was orphaned, as her mother died at the facility.
He also saw a large Python, a unique two-headed Snake, a two-headed Turtle, Tapirs, Leopard cubs which were left in an agricultural field and later spotted by villagers and rescued, Giant Otters, Bongo (antelope), and Seals. He saw elephants in their jacuzzi.
The hydrotherapy pools support the recovery of elephants suffering from arthritis and foot problems and improve their mobility.
He also saw the workings of the elephant hospital, which is the largest such hospital in the world.
He also released parrots which had been rescued at the centre. The PM also interacted with doctors, supporting staff and workers who are managing various facilities at the Centre.
About Vantara
Vantara, spanning 3,000 acres within the Reliance Jamnagar refinery complex, serves as a rescue centre committed to the well-being of captive elephants and wildlife. It offers sanctuary, rehabilitation, and medical care to animals rescued from abuse and exploitation.
The centre also empowers local communities by offering sustainable livelihood opportunities and training in humane animal care practices.
Vantara is home to more than 2,000 species and over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened animals, supported by cutting-edge facilities such as advanced veterinary equipment, spacious enclosures mimicking natural habitats, and an expert team of over 2,100 staff, as per the facility's website. Vantara not only promotes animal welfare but also aims to educate visitors on conservation efforts and the importance of biodiversity.
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