Reports on Anant Ambani-owned Vantara, a private animal rehabilitation centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, were around across the media, showcasing Prime Minister Narendra Modi playing with tiger cubs after inaugurating it on March 3.
However, the reports on the concerns of a South African animal protection group regarding the large-scale import of animals to Vantara disappeared from many news outlets, particularly from Deccan Herald, The Telegraph India, and The Tribune, leading to the presumption of pressure, as several other independent outlets acknowledged having received threat calls and emails for removing the reports, Newslaundry reported.
An executive editor of an affected news website disclosed that his publication received a threatening email accusing it of inciting violence and hatred, with the sender alleging that the organisation was demanding payment to take down the article.
Multiple public relations agencies from Mumbai and Delhi reportedly reached out to the publication, requesting the removal of four articles related to Vantara and offering paid content in return, which the organisation refused in adherence to its editorial policies. Despite the pressure, the publication has decided against taking down the articles from its website.
Another magazine that had covered the concerns received an initial request via email and phone call to delete its article before later being served a legal notice demanding defamation damages of up to Rs. 1,000 crore from lawyers claiming to represent Anant Ambani. Although it remains unclear whether Deccan Herald, The Telegraph India, and The Tribune received similar legal communications, their articles on the issue are no longer accessible, the report said.
A financial news website, which had initially reported on the concerns raised by the South African organisation, now displays an altered article listing Vantara’s features, though its URL still retains keywords from the original report.
The Wildlife Animal Protection Forum of South Africa (WAPFSA), a coalition of 30 organisations dedicated to wildlife conservation, had urged the country’s environment minister to investigate the alleged export of several wild animals to Vantara.
The organisation had informed the South African government that concerns over these exports had been raised within the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a multilateral treaty regulating trade in threatened species, during a meeting of its standing committee in November 2023.
The group had also questioned the suitability of Vantara’s location in Gujarat, arguing that the region’s hot climate could be unfavourable for certain species such as leopards, cheetahs, tigers, and lions, which were allegedly among the animals imported to the facility.