Guwahati: The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA), a coalition of 30 national organizations, has urged the country’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Ministry to investigate the export of a large number of wild animals to the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZZRC), also known as Vantara.
Vantara, a private zoo in Jamnagar, Gujarat, is owned by Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani.
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In a letter dated March 6, 2025, to South Africa’s Environment minister Dion George, WAPFSA raised serious concerns regarding the legality and ethical implications of these animal transfers, specifically highlighting the export of leopards, cheetahs, tigers, and lions.
The letter, sent to Minister George and copied to key officials including the Director General of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and the South African CITES Management Authority, pointed to potential non-compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
“We are aware that legitimate concerns have been raised within CITES regarding the large amount of different live species of wild animals that are being imported to the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in India,” stated Megan Carr, WAPFSA , in the letter.
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“A case for India’s potential non-compliance was raised as early as the 77th Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in November 2023,” he said.
WAPFSA’s concerns are further fueled by information received by the CITES Secretariat regarding live animal imports into India, including specimens of critically endangered species listed in CITES Appendix I.
The letter also highlighted a 2023 visit by GZZRC representatives to the CITES Secretariat, during which they explained that the center had rescued animals from difficult conditions outside India. However, concerns persist about the legality of the transactions and the methods used to obtain CITES documents.
The organization alleges that a significant number of captive-bred specimens in South African facilities may be traded for commercial purposes, raising further questions about the true nature of these exports.
“The attached document highlights the concerning high number of leopard, cheetah, tigers and lions exported to GZZRC from South Africa,” Carr wrote.
“Furthermore, we are of the opinion that a significant number of captive-bred specimens in facilities in South Africa could have been and are being traded for commercial purposes,” he said.
WAPFSA, which emphasizes its commitment to robust science, ethical conservation practices, and harmonious coexistence with nature, has urged Minister George to conduct a thorough and immediate investigation into the matter.
The group is awaiting an urgent response from the Minister.
The DFFE, the South African CITES Management Authority, and the CITES Secretariat have been ed for comment.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
