PM Modi inaugurates animal rescue facility Vantara, says reflects our ‘ethos of protecting planet’

A video shared by the company Tuesday showed Modi feeding lion cubs, an okapi, giraffes, fish, elephants and other species at Vantara — said to be home to more than 2,000 species and over 1.5 lakh rescued, endangered and threatened animals from across the world. The video said that the project, spread over 3,500 acres, has the “world’s largest cheetah conservation project”.

Inaugurated Vantara, a unique wildlife conservation, rescue and rehabilitation initiative, which provides a safe haven for animals while promoting ecological sustainability and wildlife welfare. I commend Anant Ambani and his entire team for this very compassionate effort. pic.twitter.com/NeNjy5LnkO

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 4, 2025

“PM patted an Okapi, came face to face with Chimpanzees in open who were got from a facility where they were kept as pets, hugged and lovingly played with Orangutan who were earlier kept in an overcrowded facility, saw up close a Hippopotamus which was under water, saw crocodiles, undertook a walk between Zebras, fed a Giraffe and a Rhino calf. The one-horned Rhino calf was orphaned as her mother died at the facility,” said the RIL statement.

Modi was accompanied by Reliance Industries chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani and their son Anant, who was seen showing the PM around the facility in the video.

A year ago, guests who were part of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s pre-wedding festivities at Jamnagar were taken on a tour of Vantara.

The Union government recently conferred Vantara with the prestigious ‘Prani Mitra’ National Award, India’s highest honour in animal welfare, under the ‘Corporate’ category, recognising the “exceptional contributions” of Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, an organisation under Vantara dedicated to the rescue, treatment and care of elephants.

According to the statement from RIL, the PM visited the wildlife hospital where he played with and fed various species, including Asiatic lion cubs, a white lion cub, a clouded leopard cub — which is a rare and endangered species — 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 release said.

Vantara breeds caracals, a now-rare breed of cat, in captivity for their preservation, the statement said, adding that they 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,” it said.

Among the species the PM saw and “interacted with” include the golden tiger, snow tigers rescued from a circus, white lion and snow leopard. Other animals included a tiger, python, a two-headed snake, a two-headed turtle, a tapir, leopard cubs that were left in an agricultural field and later spotted by villagers, a giant otter, a bongo (antelope) and seals.

He also saw the workings of the elephant hospital, which is said to be the largest such hospital in the world. In addition, the PM released parrots, which had been rescued at the centre.