Vantara Success Story: Rescued Hornbill Back in ‘Pecking Order’ after Treatment of Beak Fracture

Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation on Monday unveiled Vantara, an initiative for animal welfare in Gujarat, with focus on the rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation of injured and abused wildlife across India and abroad.

Spanning 3,000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat, the initiative marks the first-of-its-kind effort in India.

Within the premises, a rescue and rehabilitation centre spanning more than 650 acres has been established. In recent years, the programme has successfully rescued over 200 elephants and thousands of other animals, reptiles, and birds from unsafe situations. It has undertaken initiatives in key species including rhino, leopard, and crocodile rehabilitation.

A female Abyssinian Ground Hornbill with a fractured upper beak was rescued by the Vantara team after suffering a traumatic injury.

The Hornbill was placed under intensive care, receiving fluid therapy and assisted feeding three times a day.

Expert veterinarians later performed a necessary surgical correction on the fractured upper beak, using a unique technique involving pinning and light-activated orthodontic adhesive bonding.

After being discharged, she returned to her enclosure and is now leading a happy and fulfilling life, able to eat normally.

The Vantara programme has worked with international organisations such as the Venezuelan National Foundation of Zoos and associated with reputable organisations worldwide such as the Smithsonian and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

In India, it collaborates with the National Zoological Park, Assam State Zoo, Nagaland Zoological Park, Sardar Patel Zoological Park, etc.

The Vantara initiative has been conceptualised and birthed under the passionate leadership of Anant Ambani, director on the boards of RIL and Reliance Foundation.

Anant is getting ready for pre-wedding festivities with his fiancee Radhika Merchant from March 1 to March 3 in Gujarat’s Jamnagar, where the biggest names from the worlds of business, entertainment, and sports are among the invitees.