Habitats and conservation
UK ministers advised to avoid lobbying by Indian mega-zoo
Government advisers urged officials to maintain distance from the controversial Vantara sanctuary before global talks on endangered wildlife trade.
Reported by The Guardian · · 1 min read
Internal government records show that British ministers received guidance to avoid formal contact with Vantara, a massive private zoological facility in India. The warning followed outreach from lobbyists connected to the site ahead of a United Nations wildlife conference in Geneva, where Britain is presiding over international discussions examining how India oversees the importation of protected species.
Covering roughly 1,400 hectares in Gujarat, the expansive complex was created by Anant Ambani, an heir to a prominent oil and gas fortune. Reports indicate that over 150,000 creatures have arrived at the property since 2022. While facility representatives emphasize lavish accommodations like hydrotherapy pools and specialized massages for more than 260 elephants, conservation groups have questioned how such large numbers of threatened species were assembled in such a short window.
A Cites fact-finding inquiry previously flagged concerns about import compliance, cautioning that bringing in extensive numbers of animals risks stimulating illicit markets. Although India's highest court cleared the operators of legal wrongdoing, advocates approached British authorities seeking a sympathetic stance regarding which nation holds primary responsibility for verifying export legitimacy.
British officials subsequently declined invitations to visit the Gujarat property to preserve impartiality in their committee role. Disclosed documents also outline concerns over a proposed shipment of falcons from the UK, which did not proceed after regulators classified a substantial monetary payment to an unnamed British breeder as a commercial transaction.
A spokesperson for Vantara stated that the facility neither paid lobbying consultants nor imported falcons from Britain. In response to recent scrutiny, the sanctuary voluntarily suspended new animal arrivals for twelve months and appointed a former Cites leader to direct its management, while Ambani maintained that all resident wildlife, including rescued hippos and penguins, were acquired through lawful avenues to safeguard their well-being.
