PM Modi Inaugurates Vantara Wildlife Centre in Jamnagar
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vantara Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Conservation Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Established by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Reliance Foundation, the centre is home to over 2,000 species and more than 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered, and threatened animals from across the globe.
Animals and Activities at Vantara
A statement from RIL mentioned, “The Prime Minister patted an okapi, interacted with chimpanzees that were rescued from a place where they were kept as pets, and played with orangutans who had been in an overcrowded facility. He also got a close look at hippos underwater, saw crocodiles, walked among zebras, and fed a giraffe and a baby rhino. The one-horned rhino calf had been orphaned after its mother passed away at the facility.”
Recognition and Contributions of Vantara
PM Modi was accompanied by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani, and their son Anant Ambani, who showed the PM around the centre. Vantara was recently honored with the ‘Prani Mitra’ National Award, India’s highest animal welfare recognition, in the ‘Corporate’ category, for the efforts of the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) in rescuing and caring for elephants.
Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Efforts
During his visit, PM Modi toured the wildlife hospital, where he interacted with endangered species such as Asiatic lion cubs, caracal cubs, clouded leopard cubs, and a white lion cub. The white lion cub was born at the centre after its mother was rescued. The centre also breeds caracals for preservation and later releases them into the wild.
The PM visited the MRI room, where an Asiatic lion was undergoing an MRI, and the operation theatre, where a leopard was receiving life-saving surgery after being hit by a car.
Special Features of the Centre
The centre houses several unique species, including golden tigers, snow tigers (rescued from a circus), a python, a two-headed snake, a two-headed turtle, a tapir, and leopard cubs rescued from an agricultural field.
Vantara also provides hydrotherapy pools to help elephants with arthritis and foot problems, aiding their recovery and mobility. The centre features the world’s largest elephant hospital, where PM Modi also interacted with rescued elephants and released parrots that had been saved.
This visit highlighted the centre’s vital role in wildlife conservation and animal welfare, with PM Modi commending its efforts in protecting endangered species and providing them with a safe and nurturing environment.