Anant Ambani's Vantara offers shelter to Namibian animals facing culling amid drought

Addressing a letter to the High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia, Vivaan Karani, the CEO of Vantara assured that the animal welfare foundation based in Gujarat was prepared to provide lifelong care or temporary housing to animals who are facing the threat of culling.

As Namibia is experiencing its worst-ever drought in decades, the government has been culling the county's wildlife in order to relieve pressure on grazing and water supply as well as to provide food to those going hungry.

While the culling of over 700 wildlife is under way as per various media reports, Anant Ambani's Vantara Foundation has stepped in and offered to help.

The cull will take place in parks and communal areas where authorities believe animal numbers exceed available grazing land and water supplies, it said in a statement issued on Monday.

In a letter accessed by The Times of India, the Vantara Foundation wrote to the Namibian authorities expressing their concern over the devastating impact that the drought was having on the wildlife in the country.

"At Vantara, we follow a vision to overcome challenges to protect every animal from any situation that threatens their welfare and survival. We at Vantara stand in complete solidarity with the situation, are deeply moved by it, and would like to offer whatever assistance we can avoid animal cutting," the letter read.

Addressing the letter to the High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia, Vivaan Karani, the CEO of Vantara assured that the animal welfare foundation based in Gujarat was prepared to provide lifelong care or temporary housing to animals who are facing the threat of culling.

"In the past Vantara has provided shelter and refuge to animals on the verge of being culled and animals that had put a strain on recourses, as an alternate to culling. We at Vantara are prepared to put our best foot forward and provide lifelong care or temporary housing as a viable alternative to culling."

The CEO requested Namibian authorities to take out some of their valuable time and consider the proposals that the Vantara team had prepared.

The Vantara facility, spread over 3,000 acres, was founded by Anant Ambani, director on the boards of Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Foundation and the centre, and has more than 2,000 rescued animals, brought from different parts of the country.

(With Reuters, PTI inputs)