No Illegal Imports, No Commercial Breeding: CITES Lauds Vantara’s Conservation Model

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in its recent report, has commended the world-class animal welfare and conservation standards at Gujarat’s Vantara, following an official visit by its Secretariat to India in September this year.

The report highlighted that “it has not found evidence of any import for primarily commercial purposes or commercial use of the imported animals” and the exceptionally high standards maintained, including advanced veterinary care, well-designed enclosures, and ethical practices. 

The Secretariat’s report, prepared for the upcoming seventy-ninth meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, highlighted India’s robust wildlife legislation and Vantara’s advanced veterinary care, infrastructure, and ethical practices.

CITES, which is an international agreement between governments whose aim is to ensure that the trade in wild animals and plants does not endanger species, while the Standing Committee is the policy guidance and administrative body, comprising representatives from each of the six CITES geographical regions.

The Secretariat in its report noted: “Both the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (GZRRC) and the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) operate in accordance with exceptionally high standards and have advanced facilities, including in terms of enclosures and veterinary care.”

“The Secretariat has no reason to doubt that these facilities are suitably equipped to house and care for the animals, as required under Article III of the Convention in case of animals of Appendix I-listed species,” it stated. 

Both institutions, located within the Vantara complex, were recognized for developing advanced veterinary procedures and achieving “important successes in medical care and treatment of animals.” The Secretariat also encouraged that “these experiences be shared with the wider scientific community.”

The report also confirmed India’s compliance with CITES regulations.

“Based on a desk review of the information provided, and after completion of the mission to India, the Secretariat notes that it has not found evidence of animals being imported to India without CITES export permits or re-export certificates and, for Appendix-I species, import permits,” it said.

“At this juncture, the Secretariat has not found evidence of any import for primarily commercial purposes or commercial use of the imported animals either.” India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972—amended in 2022—was recognized as meeting CITES’ minimum legal standards and placed in Category 1 under the National Legislation Project, indicating full compliance with the Convention’s requirements.

The CITES team further noted that both facilities “explicitly emphasized that the sale of animals or their offspring has never been intended, and neither will it be pursued in the future,” reaffirming Vantara’s conservation-oriented mission.

Vantara’s two centers are officially recognized by Indian authorities. 

The GZRRC was approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 2019, with renewals following in 2023 and 2025, while the RKTEWT received recognition as a zoo in July 2025. The facilities currently house over 47,000 animals across thousands of species and have approved breeding programs for 26 native and 16 non-native species, including successful breeding of Asiatic lions and ongoing efforts for Spix macaws.