Hot Oil Massage, Jacuzzi & Ragi Ke Laddoo: Vantara’s Rescue Camp Provides Second Chance at Life to Over 200 Elephants

In the heart of Jamnagar, a haven has been created for some very special residents – elephants who have found a second chance at life. These elephants – rescued from distressing environments such as circuses or congested zoos or road accidents across India and globally – have endured lives filled with hardship and struggle, so far.

Meet Leelavati, the elephant. Tragically, Leelavati sustained severe burn injuries during a circus fire just before the Covid-19 pandemic. Every day, for several hours, Leelavati’s caregiver Mahout administers medical oxygen to her burn wounds at the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HOT) chamber, located in the Elephant Hospital, the only one of its kind in India. The majority of Leelavati’s burns have healed, with only a small portion remaining to be treated.

Similar to Leelavati, approximately 200 elephants are receiving care, including a conducive environment and medical attention at the Centre for Elephants at Jamnagar’s Vantara. Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced the launch of their Vantara programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on the rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad.

The project, Elephant Camp, is part of the Vantara initiative.

During the early morning at the camp, which is spread over a large part of the 3,000 acres, elephants can be seen rolling in mud, taking baths, playing, taking hot oil massages, cuddling in Multani Mitti, or simply strolling around.

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced the launch of their Vantara programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on the rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad.

The project, Elephant Camp, is part of the Vantara initiative.

From hot oil massage, hydrotherapy pools, a large elephant jacuzzi, acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and laser therapy, the facility uses a combination of modern and traditional medicine techniques to heal the animals of their past wounds and prevailing diseases such as endometriosis, cataracts, arthritis, kidney stones, tumours and more.

“Animals are given giloy-soaked water on empty stomachs, every morning, to boost their immune system,” a Mahout, a person who works closely with and cares for elephants, told News18 during a visit to the Elephant Camp.

The facility has a team of over 500 trained professionals, including veterinarians, biologists, pathologists, nutritionists and naturalists.

According to Dr Petra Wolf, a nutritionist at Elephant Camp, who designs the daily diet, the food items of elephants are planned carefully and according to their medical condition.

“Of the total 15 kitchens, every kitchen produces around one tonne of food every day. The kitchen procures or manufactures 350 kg of ragi ke laddoo (balls of finger millet), 680 kg khichdi, one tonne of fruits and 1.5 tonne of vegetables every day and the diet of each elephant is planned after observing every minute detail of their health and medical history,” Wolf described.

The rescue centre is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, director of Reliance Industries Limited and Reliance Foundation.

As Ambani walked through the facility, he explained that “the centre has a 25,000-sqft elephant hospital, one of the largest globally”. “We rescued the first elephant in 2008,” he recalled, adding that efforts intensified during the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Ambani explained that the hospital is fully equipped with cutting-edge technology and in fact, conducts multiple research projects to find and improvise existing solutions and diagnostics.

“The facility is fully equipped with portable X-ray machines, laser devices for various treatments, a complete pharmacy, a pathology laboratory for diagnostic tests, an imported elephant restraining device for precise diagnosis, hydraulic pulleys and cranes, a hydraulic surgical table tailored specifically for the elephants’ needs,” he said.

NOT JUST ELEPHANTS, MANY MORE SPECIES AT VANTARA

Not only elephants, but Vantara also has a centre for several other large and small species including lions, tigers, crocodiles and leopards, among others.

Over the last few years, Ambani has rescued thousands of other animals, reptiles and birds from unsafe situations. Vantara has undertaken initiatives in key species, including rhino, leopard and crocodile rehabilitation.

“The centre has saved over 1,000 crocodiles from a severely overcrowded facility in Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, animals from hunting lodges in Africa, those facing euthanasia in Slovakia, and distressed animals from facilities in Mexico have also been rescued,” Ambani told reporters, while touring the other facility containing a variety of big cats.

According to the company’s press release, presently, the Vantara ecosystem has provided a new lease of life to over 200 elephants, over 300 large felines such as leopards, tigers, lions and jaguars and over 300 herbivores such as deer and over 1200 reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes and turtles.

When asked about the possibility of opening these rescue centres to the general public for visiting and education purposes, Ambani expressed his desire to do so, but emphasised that specific timelines can only be determined once all the rescued animals are settled.

However, he said that he plans to increase awareness around conservation, particularly among the youth and children. He foresees a collaboration with educational institutions including knowledge and resource exchange.

Ambani, who calls himself a deeply religious person, believes that by helping animals, humans accumulate good deeds and his passion behind establishing the rescue centre is a way to serve god.