At Reliance Foundation's 'Vantara Centre for Elephants': A Hospital, Jacuzzi to Treat Arthritis, Kitchen for Curated Diets & Ayurvedic Massages

Part of the Reliance Foundation’s Vantara announced on Monday is the Centre for Elephants spread over a large part of the 3,000 acre premises with state-of-the-art shelters, scientifically designed day-and-night enclosures, hydrotherapy pools, water bodies and a large elephant jacuzzi for treating arthritis in elephants.

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday announced the launch of their Vantara (Star of the Forest) programme, an umbrella initiative to focus on rescue, treatment, care and rehabilitation of injured, abused and threatened animals, both in India and abroad. The Vantara initiative, the first-of-its-kind in India, has been conceptualised and birthed under the passionate leadership of Anant Ambani, Director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation. Spread over 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, Vantara aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally.

The Centre for Elephants has a 25,000-sqft elephant hospital, one of the largest in the world, fully equipped with portable X-ray machines, laser machines for diverse treatments, a fully equipped pharmacy, a pathology for all diagnostic tests, an imported elephant restraining device for diagnosis, hydraulic pulleys and cranes, hydraulic surgical table and a hyperbaric oxygen chamber for the elephants.

It is home to over 200 elephants who are cared for round-the-clock by a specialised and trained staff of over 500 people including vets, biologists, pathologists, nutritionists and naturalists.

The hospital carries out cataract and endoscopic guided surgeries (with a first-of-its-kind specially designed endoscopy equipment) and is capable of executing any surgery necessary.

The Centre has a special kitchen of over 14,000-sqft dedicated to preparing a curated diet for each elephant, keeping in mind their most necessary physical needs, including their oral health.

The Centre also applies ayurveda techniques to care for the elephants, from application of hot oil massages to multani mitti, ayurveda practitioners also work round-the-clock for the elephants.