More than two dozen wildlife conservation non-profits have joined to urge Vantara, the private megazoo funded by Reliance Industries, to end wild animal imports permanently. In an open letter to the Jamnagar, Gujarat-based facility, the non-profits have also demanded that Vantara take strict measures to ensure measures on all matters related to acquisition of animals.
The letter, dated September 22, 2026, was released by Pro Wildlife, a Germany-based non-profit that works to protect wildlife and habitats globally, on behalf of 27 international animal welfare and conservation organisations including the Jane Goodall Institute Global, Animal Welfare Institute and organisations based in Africa.
The letter, addressed to Amit Aggarwal, president of regulatory affairs at Vantara, acknowledges the zoo and rehabilitation centre’s “voluntary commitments” to restrict wildlife imports for up to a year and enhance governance and due diligences of its conservation measures.
“After years of criticism over its practices, Vantara has promised a change of course – we'll be watching closely to see whether words are followed by action. A pause with an expiry date isn't enough: Vantara must commit to a permanent end to imports, full transparency, and independent oversight. Imports from dubious sources must be investigated – and met with real consequences. Anything less risks giving private zoos and powerful companies a free pass to trade in the world's most strictly protected species,” Daniela Freyer, co-founder of Pro Wildlife, said in a press statement.
Vantara made a series of commitments in August to rethink its framework, in the wake of intense scrutiny by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), a multilateral treaty that aims to protect endangered plants and animals from risks of international trade.
Noting several critiques of its practices, Vantara has pledged to pause all pending and new live animal import applications, as well as to shift its focus from ex-situ to in-situ conservation measures, enhance governance and due diligence, and address concerns about its standards.
“Make moratorium permanent”
In the open letter, the non-profits highlight that Vantara has recorded an “unprecedented’ level of animal imports within a span of four years, involving 60,000 live animals across 2,000 species. Some of these imports include unique, rare and highly endangered species such as Tapanuli orangutans, Spix’s macaws, Galápagos iguanas and shoebills.
The statement noted that the temporary import pause by Vantara came after years of comprehensive investigations and reports by civil society organisations and independent journalists over its operation.
While the non-profits welcomed the Jamnagar facility’s change in operations, they pointed out that the exemptions Vantara has mentioned in its moratorium risk continuation of import of animals that may be sourced from commercial facilities; presented as captive bred, but potentially sourced from the wild; and imports from likely illegal sources whose origin cannot be unverified.
“Further, a limited-time moratorium may signal to exporters that imports could continue in the future, and lead wildlife traders and traffickers to stockpile animals in anticipation of the moratorium’s expiration,” said the letter.
The non-profits now have called for a permanent end to import of wild animals in lieu of temporary 12-month pause that Vantara has announced. They have suggested any exceptions be strictly limited to independently verified conservation or welfare emergencies.
The letter also urged Vantara to end commercial incentives by halting all direct or indirect payments, including donations that may be perceived as being linked to animal acquisitions.
“Payments may fuel commercial exploitation, incentivise wild capture, and encourage the mislabeling of wild-caught animals as "rescued" or “captive-bred”,” it stated.
To ensure transparency, the non-profits have demanded that Vantara adopt strict criteria for legitimate rescues, adhere to a non-breeding policy, and avoid commercial trade, exchange or acquisitions for public display.
“Publish a complete, regularly updated inventory, reviewed by independent experts, of all animals held at Vantara – including origins, transfers, births, and deaths. Guarantee accountability and transparency, eliminate potential conflicts of interest on Vantara’s advisory boards, and ensure full protection for civil society, journalists, and whistleblowers,” are among demands placed.
The letter further urged Vantara to provide in-situ support and repatriation to independently-run non-profits in countries of origin for protection of wild habitats. It also recommended that the facility assist in maintaining high standards of local rescue centres while assessing options to repatriate animals from native range states.
The open letter has been released in the backdrop of the 81st meeting of the CITES Standing Committee, scheduled on November 2-6 in Geneva, Switzerland. At the meeting, the Standing Committee will consider the Government of India's response to findings of an official CITES Secretariat verification mission to India conducted in September 2025.
The Pro Wildlife statement noted that the verification mission’s findings expressed concerns about the large volume of imports of strictly protected species to Vantara and potential violations of international trade regulations.
