NGOs call on Vantara to end all wild animal imports permanently
A coalition of 27 global wildlife conservation and animal welfare organizations urged Vantara to permanently end all wild animal imports. The billionaire-run zoo in India, funded by the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries, the country’s largest corporation, has been under for fire for questionable acquisitions of its animals. In an open letter dated Sep. 22, […]
A coalition of 27 wildlife conservation and animal welfare organizations has called on Vantara, a billionaire-run zoo in India, to permanently end all wild animal imports. The NGOs, in an open letter dated September 22, 2026, addressed to Vantara's president, offered suggestions for strengthening practices and improving outcomes.
Vantara had initially announced a 12-month moratorium on all animal imports, backdated to June 5, 2026, and said it would withdraw all pending import applications. The zoo also announced it would only import animals from recognized and accredited zoological facilities, CITES registered facilities, or for a conservation breeding program in cooperation with a range state.
However, the letter highlights the need for Vantara to take more definitive steps to ensure the ethical treatment and welfare of its animals.
Brief written by urgent.news from Mongabay's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
