Vantara, a wildlife rescue centre in Jamnagar, India, is set to welcome three African forest elephants—a male named Achtaum and two females, Kani and Mina—from a private zoo in Tunisia. The move comes as the zoo could not provide adequate dietary, housing, and veterinary care for the elephants, who are aged 28 to 29 years.

According to an official statement, Vantara, founded by Anant Mukesh Ambani, was contacted by a private zoo in Tunisia that needed help to meet the elephants’ complex needs due to financial issues.

All regulatory and legal requirements, including compliance with CITES, have been fulfilled for the transfer.

The elephants will be transported to India by a chartered cargo aircraft.

Achtaum, Kani, and Mina were moved from Burkina Faso to Friguia Park in Tunisia at four years old and have been at the zoo for nearly 23 years, but the zoo’s financial difficulties hindered their care.

Zoo officials determined that returning the elephants to the wild was not feasible and sought a facility to meet their care needs.

A health assessment by Vantara’s veterinary experts revealed several issues: Achtaum has a split tusk and a molar tooth infection, Kani shows signs of cracked nails, and all three elephants have untreated skin conditions causing hair loss and matting.

The elephants live in a poorly ventilated concrete house with limited access to clean water and necessary enrichment for their well-being.

At Vantara, the elephants will be housed in enclosures that mimic their natural habitat, featuring native plants, mud pools, and activities that encourage foraging behaviour.

This relocation aims to provide Achtaum, Kani, and Mina with a supportive environment for their physical and social needs.

Vantara’s new home will closely resemble the elephants’ wild habitat, offering specialised care for their physical, psychological, and social well-being, allowing them to live a compassionate life.

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) are native to Central and West Africa, and there are no wild populations of this species in Tunisia; they thrive in expansive landscapes with diverse foliage and mud wallows essential for skin health.

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