Delhi Zoo to sign MoU with Vantara, Congress raises privatisation fears

The agreement will be a 'knowledge-sharing partnership' between the Delhi NZP, GZRRC, and the Gujarat government, a senior official said

Delhi’s National Zoological Park (NZP) is preparing to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Reliance’s Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) next week, as part of a knowledge-sharing partnership.

 

The GZRRC also operates Reliance's Vantara animal rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The NZP is the only zoo run by the central government in India.

 

Agreement focuses on training, veterinary, and exchange

 

According to a report by The Print, quoting a senior official from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the agreement will be signed between the Delhi NZP, GZRRC, and the Gujarat government. Key provisions include:

 

 

• Training and workshops for Delhi Zoo staff
• Exchange of best practices between Delhi Zoo and GZRRC
• Veterinary support from GZRRC, especially for large animals
• Modernisation support for Delhi Zoo

 

The official clarified that the MoU does not involve a transfer of zoo management. Delhi Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar confirmed the same, stating that no management handover is being considered.

 

“A team of 7 members from Vantara visited the Zoo on Saturday and Sunday and were taken around the facilities. The MoU has been drafted, and a proposal has been sent to all parties. It hasn’t been signed yet,” said Kumar. He added that the agreement would also enable animal transfers between the two institutions.

 

“Vantara has world-class veterinarians and facilities, and there’s a lot we can learn from them. The MoU will help advance our partnership,” Kumar said. 

 

Congress raises privatisation concerns

 

The Congress party criticised the move, questioning whether it marks the first step towards privatising the Delhi Zoo.

 

“Is this the first step towards handing over the zoo to a private enterprise?” asked Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X.

 

"While the Govt claims that this is not a management transfer, its past record does not inspire confidence," he added, alleging that the agreement is being signed in a “hush-hush manner”. 

 

Delhi Zoo under scrutiny, Vantara’s growing role

 

The MoU comes months after the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) suspended the Delhi Zoo’s membership over alleged mistreatment of Shankar, an African elephant reportedly kept in chains.

 

Vantara is one of the world’s largest wildlife rescue centres, housing over 150,000 animals from more than 2,000 species. While it is lauded for its scale and infrastructure, critics have flagged concerns over a lack of transparency and the possible privatisation of wildlife conservation.

 

Animal rights groups have also raised questions over the relocation of wild animals from public zoos to the privately managed facility in Jamnagar.