Vantara Expands Elephant Welfare Outreach Across India on World Elephant Day
From a rescue that began with Gauri, Vantara says its elephant mission now spans specialised care, caregiver training, conservation education and international efforts to address human-elephant conflict.
JAMNAGAR- Vantara, founded by Anant Ambani, has announced an expanded programme of elephant welfare, caregiver support, conservation education and international collaboration as it marked World Elephant Day 2026.
The organisation said its elephant welfare journey began with Gauri, the first elephant rescued by Anant Ambani, and has since expanded into a broader effort involving specialised elephant care, knowledge-sharing with forest departments and support for conservation initiatives in India and abroad.
Vantara currently houses more than 260 Asian elephants and describes its facility as one of the world’s leading centres for elephant welfare.
Collaboration planned to strengthen elephant care in Jaipur
A key announcement on World Elephant Day was a collaboration between Vantara and the Rajasthan Forest Department to strengthen the care and quality of life of elephants at Hathi Gaon in Jaipur.
According to the organisation, Rajasthan’s Minister for Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Sanjay Sharma, announced the collaboration.
The proposed initiative includes a state-of-the-art Elephant Treatment & Care Facility, comprising an advanced hospital, nutrition centre and hydrotherapy facility. It will also include a dedicated Retirement & Care Centre for elderly elephants.
The collaboration is intended to combine the experience of the Rajasthan Forest Department and Vantara to address the individual needs of elephants at Hathi Gaon throughout their lives.
Outreach programme covers 182 elephants across four regions
Vantara said it has recently completed a National Elephant Welfare Outreach Programme in partnership with State Forest Departments at eight locations across Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The programme brought together teams working directly with elephants and focused on sharing knowledge and best practices.
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According to Vantara, the initiative supported the health and welfare of 182 elephants and engaged 242 mahouts.
The programme included preventive veterinary care and practical sessions on elephant health, humane handling, first aid and musth management. Veterinary and welfare kits, as well as nutritional support, were also provided.
The organisation said the partnerships are intended to create continued exchange among elephant-care professionals and strengthen collaborative approaches to elephant welfare.
Children introduced to Leelavati’s story
Vantara has also launched ‘My Friend Leelavati’, a social media campaign aimed at children and focused on empathy and compassion towards elephants.
The campaign tells the story of Leelavati, who was separated from her mother as a calf, spent years in a circus and later suffered extensive burn injuries when a circus tent caught fire.
As part of the initiative, children are invited to solve a themed puzzle and write a message for Leelavati. Winners are set to receive a Leelavati gift hamper and an opportunity to visit Vantara, meet Leelavati and her caregiver, and learn about elephant rescue and lifelong care.
Support announced for global human-elephant conflict efforts
Vantara also announced a grant to the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPI Foundation) to support international cooperation on human-elephant conflict.
The funding will support participation by experts, practitioners and youth representatives from Asian and African elephant range states at the 1st Global Human-Elephant Conflict Summit and the 2nd International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence, scheduled to take place in Bangkok in March 2027.
According to Vantara, the grant will support delegates from all 13 Asian elephant range states, at least five African elephant range states working with the EPI Foundation, and youth representatives from both regions.
The initiative will also facilitate the expansion of the EPI Youth Ambassadors Programme into India for the first time, creating opportunities for young conservationists and practitioners to exchange experiences and learn from conservation approaches across Asia and Africa.
Rapid response and technology for conflict situations
At the field level, Vantara said it continues to deploy rapid-response veterinary teams, thermal drone surveillance and community engagement programmes to respond to human-elephant conflict.
The organisation said these efforts are aimed at providing veterinary assistance to injured elephants while promoting longer-term coexistence between people and elephants.
The initiatives announced on World Elephant Day reflect Vantara’s stated effort to move beyond its own animal-care facilities and work with government agencies, conservation organisations, caregivers and international partners.
At the centre of the expanded approach is the idea of combining specialised veterinary care, knowledge-sharing, community engagement and conservation cooperation to improve elephant welfare and address challenges faced by elephants and the communities living alongside them.
