Vantara zoo: Bangladesh has sought international assistance to bring back two ring-tailed lemurs that were allegedly stolen from the Gazipur Safari Park and later traced to a wildlife facility linked to Vantara zoo in India. The case has prompted Bangladesh authorities to approach Interpol as they work to establish the animals’ identities and secure their repatriation.
The two lemurs were reportedly among three animals taken from the Gazipur Safari Park in March 2025. According to Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the animals were removed from the safari park and smuggled across the border into India.
Ring-tailed lemurs are native to Madagascar and are considered a threatened species, making the alleged trafficking of the animals a serious wildlife conservation concern.
Lemurs Were Originally Brought to Bangladesh in 2018
Investigators said the lemurs first entered Bangladesh through Dhaka airport in 2018. They were allegedly brought into the country using a false declaration to customs officials. After authorities rescued the animals, they were transferred to the Gazipur Safari Park for their protection.
Several years later, three of the lemurs were reportedly stolen from the facility. The CID investigation found that the animals were taken out of Bangladesh through the Darshana border area in Chuadanga before being transported into India.
According to a report published by Bangladeshi newspaper Ajker Patrika, the three animals were allegedly sold for around Rs 4.8 million, or approximately £504,000.
Investigation Points to Smuggling Network
Bangladesh investigators have alleged that the theft involved assistance from people connected with the safari park and the border route. According to statements recorded during the investigation, a security guard allegedly helped remove the animals from the facility, while a border lineman was reportedly involved in moving them across the frontier.
The lemurs then passed through several individuals before eventually reaching Jamnagar in Gujarat, western India. Investigators said the animals were allegedly sold to an institution associated with the Vantara wildlife centre.
Authorities said six of the eight people suspected of involvement in the trafficking case have reportedly given confession statements before a local court.
The investigation gained further momentum after Bangladeshi authorities came across photographs of the lemurs at Vantara on social media. The images reportedly helped officials trace the animals and prompted efforts to recover them.
Lack of Identification Records Creates Challenge
One of the biggest difficulties facing Bangladesh authorities is proving that the lemurs currently in India are the same animals that were stolen from the Gazipur Safari Park.
Investigators reportedly found that the animals did not have microchips, unique identification numbers or stored DNA profiles that could immediately establish their identities.
Bangladesh is therefore exploring DNA testing as part of its efforts to establish a biological connection between the animals. Authorities are seeking to create a DNA profile of the juvenile lemur that remains in Bangladesh. The results could help determine whether the animal is related to the two lemurs believed to have been taken to India.
Bangladesh has also requested Interpol’s assistance in the process of bringing the animals back to the country.
What Is Vantara Zoo?
Vantara is a large wildlife and animal welfare facility located in Gujarat. The centre covers around 3,500 acres and is operated by the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust, an organisation backed by Reliance, the business conglomerate associated with billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
The facility was conceived by Anant Ambani, the son of Mukesh Ambani, and was formally inaugurated in March 2025. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the inauguration.
Vantara has presented itself as a major centre focused on animal welfare, rescue, rehabilitation and conservation, with facilities designed to care for a wide range of species.
However, the centre has also attracted criticism from some animal rights organisations. Critics have raised questions about the transparency surrounding the acquisition of animals and have questioned the facility’s focus on rare species and large-scale infrastructure.
There have also been concerns about animals being transferred to Vantara from public facilities in Indian states including Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. Some animal welfare groups have questioned what such transfers could mean for the role and resources of government-run zoos.
Vantara Rejects Allegations
Vantara has previously faced allegations concerning the import of animals, including scrutiny involving authorities in Germany and the European Union.
The wildlife centre has rejected such allegations, describing them as “entirely false and baseless”.
In the latest case involving the two ring-tailed lemurs, Bangladesh is seeking clarification and cooperation to establish the animals’ identities and determine whether they can be returned to the country.
The case now involves both wildlife trafficking investigators and international cooperation. For Bangladesh, the priority is to establish definitive evidence linking the two lemurs in India to the animals stolen from Gazipur Safari Park.
The absence of microchips and other identification records has made that process more complicated, leaving DNA testing and international investigative assistance as potentially important steps in determining the animals’ origins.
The Independent said it contacted Vantara for comment on the allegations but had not received an immediate response at the time of publication.
As Bangladesh continues its efforts to repatriate the lemurs, the case has also highlighted the wider challenges involved in tracking trafficked wildlife across international borders, particularly when rescued animals lack permanent identification records.
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