Vantara pauses animal imports and appoints new governing council

Vantara, the animal rescue and conservation center founded by Anant Ambani in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is implementing a major operational reset. Following questions from wildlife experts and international authorities regarding the import of protected species, the facility will pause live-animal imports for at least one year.

The center is shifting its strategic focus from ex situ rescue—bringing animals to its 3,500-acre facility—toward providing in situ support to conservation programs in the animals’ natural countries of origin. Vantara stated that its success will be measured by wildlife recovery rather than the total number of animals housed.

To oversee this transition, Vantara has appointed John Scanlon, the former head of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as the inaugural Chair of a newly established five-member Governing Council. This council will hold final authority over all animal acquisition decisions and will oversee the center’s conservation, care, rehabilitation, and compliance activities.