Anant Ambani's Zoo Has Been Cleared of Any Wildlife Violations

India’s Vantara wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, run by Anant Ambani under the Reliance Foundation, has been cleared of all wrongdoing following a court-appointed investigation, the Supreme Court of India has ruled.

Allegations ranging from unlawful animal acquisition to mistreatment and financial irregularities were examined in full by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which submitted its findings to the court after extensive inquiry. 

The complaints against Vantara included claims by wildlife organisations and media reports that animals were illegally imported, kept in unsuitable climate conditions, and housed next to industrial infrastructure, and that some species had been mistreated.

There were also concerns about documentation, animal welfare standards, and whether proper approvals had been obtained under Indian wildlife and customs laws. 

However, the SIT’s report found that the allegations “rest wholly on conjecture and surmises” and lacked evidence. Each animal acquisition had undergone “multilayered and multi-jurisdictional verification”, the report stated, and no violations of wildlife protection laws were detected. The Supreme Court accepted these conclusions.

Vantara, located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is home to thousands of animals, including elephants, tigers, lions, leopards, bears, and crocodiles, among others. The facility was under scrutiny not only for acquisition and welfare practices but also for being situated on flatland near a major refinery and for not having a public-access component. Critics had questioned whether the climate and environment were appropriate for certain species. 

In its ruling, the Supreme Court noted that in some respects Vantara’s facilities exceed prescribed standards for animal welfare and husbandry under Indian regulations and zoo authority guidelines. It dismissed all complaints as lacking merit, affirming that Vantara had complied with legal requirements regarding imports, permits, documentation, conservation practices, and animal care. 

Responding to the verdict, Vantara welcomed the findings. The centre’s statement emphasised that the SIT’s report and the Supreme Court’s order validate its mission, that the complaints were unfounded, and that the decision allows its conservation work to “speak for itself.” 

The decision appears to bring closure to a series of activist concerns and legal petitions. The Supreme Court’s ruling makes it unlikely that authorities will entertain new proceedings based on the same allegations, reinforcing both the legal and institutional robustness of Vantara’s operations.

This article was previously published on saudimoments. To see the original article, click here