British government ministers were warned against formal meetings with the Anant Ambani-run facility after lobbyists sought support before a key regulatory committee convened. The 1,400-hectare site in Gujarat has drawn sharp scrutiny after acquiring more than 150,000 animals since 2022. Officials also flagged an attempted £50,000 transaction with a British falcon breeder that was halted because it was deemed commercial. In response to mounting concerns, the facility has voluntarily instituted a one-year pause on animal imports and appointed a former wildlife trade chief.
Key points
British ministers were advised to avoid formal contact with the private Indian zoo ahead…: British ministers were advised to avoid formal contact with the private Indian zoo ahead of an international Cites regulatory meeting.
Lobbying firms approached UK officials pro bono to cultivate a sympathetic view toward In…: Lobbying firms approached UK officials pro bono to cultivate a sympathetic view toward India's endangered species import controls.
The facility's management insists all animals are legally acquired for rescue purposes an…: The facility's management insists all animals are legally acquired for rescue purposes and has hired former Cites chief John Scanlon.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
British government ministers were told not to engage formally with Vantara, the controversial mega-zoo run by the Indian billionaire Anant Ambani, after lobbying efforts by the private animal sanctuary in the run-up to a UK-chaired meeting on the trade in endangered species, according to documents.
This week, the UK heads a 32-country committee meeting in Geneva of Cites, the United Nations body that regulates trade in endangered species. The meeting will examine how India has responded to compliance concerns about imports of endangered animals.
Documents obtained by the Guardian and the news outlet Mongabay under the UK’s Freedom of Information Act reveal Vantara’s efforts to lobby British officials and ministers before the meeting.
Ambani, 31, is the heir to the oil and gas fortune of one of India’s richest men, Mukesh Ambani. He set up a 1,400-hectare (3,500-acre) private zoo near his family’s oil-refining facilities in Gujarat, where more than 150,000 animals have reportedly been amassed since 2022. Vantara boasts high welfare standards for animals in its care, including facilities such as an elephant hydrotherapy pool, where more than 260…
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