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Bengaluru: In an open letter to Vantara, the Reliance-owned zoological, rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, 27 international conservation and animal welfare organisations have urged that the centre permanently end all its wild animal imports and provide a public inventory of all animals being held in its facilities. 

These are just two of the 14 requests made by organisations including the Orangutan Information Centre in Indonesia, the Wildlife Animal Protection Forum South Africa, Four Paws International, Pro Wildlife and the Jane Goodall Institute Global. 

‘Put an end to all wild animal imports’

The open letter, dated September 22, is a response to Vantara’s letter to the Indian CITES Management Authority (dated August 19) in which the rescue centre announced that it would not import any live animals for at least a year, along with several other “voluntary commitments”.

But a moratorium alone will not do, the 27 international organisations signatory to the September 22 letter to Vantara have said.

“Replace the temporary moratorium with a permanent end to the import of wild animals, subject only to extremely limited and exceptional exemptions based on clearly defined criteria,” the letter read. 

It urges Vantara to work with relevant authorities in India, exporting and re-exporting countries, the CITES Secretariat and other stakeholders to “address the concerns expressed regarding compliance with CITES and national regulations”, as well as adopt “stringent criteria and due diligence procedures” for any animals transfers, be it to other facilities or countries.

Provide public inventory of animals

The letter also says that Vantara should define clear criteria for what constitutes a legitimate “rescue”.

Vantara’s activities so far........

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