From Joymoti Rescue From Assam-Nagaland Floods To Banni Grasslands Rewilding: How Vantara Has Partnered With Governments To Strengthen Wildlife Rescue And Conservation

Across India, state governments and wildlife authorities have increasingly sought to work with Vantara to strengthen rescue, rehabilitation, and veterinary care for animals in distress. These collaborations reflect a proactive approach from both sides, bringing together government agencies’ on-ground expertise and Vantara’s specialised veterinary capabilities, trained professionals, infrastructure, and rehabilitation resources to respond when wildlife needs urgent support.  From emergency rescues with airlifting of injured giants, specialised medical treatment to rehabilitation, capacity building and conservation support, Vantara has proposed and participated in collaborations with authorities and institutions in India and abroad. While its work has extended beyond India, Vantara’s recent voluntary commitments mark a renewed and more focused direction towards domestic wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and in-situ conservation. 

Recently, Vantara formally submitted a set of voluntary commitments to the CITES Management Authority of India and filed them before the Supreme Court, outlining its intention to prioritise India’s wildlife and landscapes going forward. 

Here is a look at some of Vantara’s recent collaborations with government authorities and wildlife institutions, spanning rescue, rehabilitation, veterinary care, training and conservation support across India and beyond:

1. Maharashtra Forest Department: Rescue & Long-Term Rehabilitation of 50 Leopards 

Vantara has partnered with the Maharashtra Forest Department to relocate 50 leopards from the Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Centre in Junnar to Vantara, Jamnagar. This move aims to boost conservation efforts for leopards. It also addresses growing concerns about human-leopard interactions in Maharashtra. The forest department had finalized an arrangement after discussions with Vantara management in March 2026. 

2.  Gujarat Forest Department: Rewilding & Conservation of Wildlife in Banni Grasslands 

Vantara has collaborated with the Gujarat Forest Department on multiple wildlife-conservation initiatives involving the rehabilitation and reintroduction of animals into protected habitats. In July 2025, 20 spotted deer were transferred from Vantara to the Banni Grasslands, followed by 33 spotted deer introduced into Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in August 2025. In August 2026, Vantara and the Gujarat Forest Department also released 20 blackbucks, five males and 15 females, into the Banni Grasslands. Across these initiatives, Vantara has provided animals, veterinary and technical expertise, specialised transportation and logistical support, while the Forest Department has overseen the release and management of the animals in their new habitats. 

3. Assam & Nagaland: Emergency Rescue, Airlift & Medical Rehabilitation of Joymoti 

Joymoti, a 53-year-old elephant, was swept roughly 55 kilometres by floods in Nagaland-Assam before being rescued with the assistance of local communities and authorities. She sustained multiple injuries, including severe damage to her right eye, as well as carrying an older leg injury dating from her years in the logging industry. After her initial rescue, arrangements were made to transport her to Vantara for specialised treatment. Her case illustrates the role of specialised veterinary facilities in treating wildlife whose injuries require care beyond what is available at the site of rescue. 

4. Project Elephant: Elephant Welfare, Caregiver Training & Knowledge Transfer 

The collaboration between Vantara and Project Elephant under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change focused on the people responsible for elephant care. This is the country’s largest training programme for elephant caregivers. This landmark initiative aims to raise the standards of elephant welfare nationwide and empower those who dedicate their lives to caring for these magnificent animals. 

5. Government of Colombia: Proposed Relocation & Conservation Support for 80 Hippos 

Vantara proposed to relocate up to 80 hippos from Colombia to its facility in Jamnagar, offering an alternative to the country’s proposed culling of the invasive population. The proposal came as Colombian authorities grappled with a rapidly growing hippopotamus population that had spread throughout the Magdalena River basin, raising concerns about its ecological impact.

Published on: Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 07:17 PM IST