Modi inaugurates wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat

Vantara is home for more than 2,000 species and over 1.5 lakh rescued and endangered animals. The Prime Minister explored various facilities at the centre and interacted with various species of animals which have been rehabilitated at the centre.

He visited the wildlife hospital at Vantara and examined the veterinary facilities, which are equipped with MRI, CT scans, ICUs among others and also multiple departments including wildlife anesthesia, cardiology, nephrology, endoscopy, dentistry, internal medicine etc.

He fed various species including Asiatic lion cubs, white lion cub, clouded leopard cub which is a rare and endangered species, caracal cub among others. The white lion cub which was fed by Modi was born at the centre after his mother was rescued and brought to Vantara for care.

The caracals, which were once in abundance in India, are now becoming a rare sight. In Vantara, caracals are bred under a breeding program in captivity for their preservations and are released in the wild later. Modi visited the MRI room at the hospital and witnessed an Asiatic lion undergoing an MRI.

He also visited the operation theatre where a leopard was going through a life saving surgery after being hit by a car on the highway and brought here after rescue. The rescued animals at the centre are kept in places which closely mirror their natural habitat.

Some of the key conservation initiatives undertaken at the centre include Asiatic lion, snow leopard, one-horned Rhinoceros, among others. The Prime Minister had several close interactions with various ferocious animals.

He sat face to face with a golden tiger, four snow tigers, who were brothers and were rescued from a circus where they were made to perform tricks, white lion and a snow leopard.

Modi patted an Okapi, came face to face with Chimpanzees in open who were got from a facility where they were kept as pets, hugged and lovingly played with Orangutan who were earlier kept in an overcrowded facility, saw up close a Hippopotamus which was under water, saw crocodiles, undertook a walk in between Zebras, fed a Giraffe and a Rhino calf.

The one-horned rhino calf was orphaned as her mother died at the facility. He also saw a large Python, unique two-headed snake, two-headed turtle, leopard cubs which were left in an agricultural field and later spotted by villagers and rescued, giant otter, bongo (antelope) and seals.

He saw elephants in their Jacuzzi. The hydrotherapy pools support recovery of elephants suffering from arthritis and foot problems, and improve their mobility. He also saw the workings of the elephant hospital, which is the largest such hospital in the world.

He also released parrots which had been rescued at the centre. Modi also interacted with doctors, supporting staff and workers who are managing various facilities at the centre.