Anant Ambani Zoo Faces Global Criticism Amid Allegations of Wildlife Sourcing and Media Suppression

Anant Ambani Zoo:  Also known as Vantara, was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the beginning of March 2025. In a widely shared Instagram video, Modi is seen affectionately interacting with various animals, including lions and a white tiger. He described Vantara as:

“A vibrant example of our centuries-old ethos of protecting those we share our planet with.”

However, the praise and visuals were quickly followed by international backlash.

Anant Ambani Zoo: Wildlife Groups Raise Red Flags

On March 6, the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa—a coalition of 30 wildlife protection groups—wrote to their environment minister demanding an investigation into the alleged export of wild animals to Vantara in India.
The group also questioned whether the climate of Gujarat was suitable for the exotic and endangered species housed in the 3,000-acre facility.

Several Indian news portals like Northeast Now and Down to Earth reported the story—but soon received requests and legal notices to take their content down. Down to Earth confirmed it was served a defamation notice seeking ₹1,000 crore in damages, allegedly from legal representatives of Anant Ambani.

International Media Investigates Vantara

Despite Indian media silence, global publications continue to explore the issue.

Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) published an exposé titled “The Billionaire and His 181 Lions," questioning the ethics and sourcing of animals at Vantara.
A 2023 investigation by Himal Southasian from Sri Lanka titled “The Costs of Reliance’s Wildlife Ambitions” highlighted that Vantara may be taking in healthy, non-rescued animals and raised doubts over India’s changing wildlife laws.
One forest official from Assam even asked why healthy elephants from the state were being transported over 3,000 kilometres to Gujarat.

Media Suppression and Legal Pressure in India

Reports of takedown notices, media intimidation, and legal threats have raised serious concerns about freedom of the press in India.

Is Anant Ambani’s PR influence stopping Indian media from covering legitimate questions about Anant Ambani Zoo?

Government’s Obsession with Image Control

This situation ties into a larger pattern. Governments and corporations in India are becoming increasingly focused on managing public perception.

The Maharashtra government recently proposed a ₹10 crore media monitoring center using AI to flag negative news.
The Central Government had attempted to allow the Press Information Bureau (PIB) to perform official fact-checking but withdrew the plan after public backlash.

Global Indices and Government Sensitivity

A report by The Plank titled “Inside India’s Battle to Control the Democracy Narrative” revealed how the Modi government has tried to influence global indices like:

Democracy Index
Ease of Doing Business
Worldwide Governance Indicators

These rankings affect sovereign credit ratings, and thus India’s borrowing costs.

An internal analysis by former economic advisor Sanjeev Sanyal showed that lower democracy scores = higher risk ratings = more expensive loans.

From 2014–2019, the government pushed to improve rankings and later explored how to shape inputs behind these measurements.