The Ambanis family, which is worth around $78.3 billion, is planning to build a zoo and animal rescue center in Jamnagar, western India. The name of the establishment is "Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom", and the site is over 280 acres, which would make it the world's biggest zoo. The zoo is planning for a 2023 opening. According to multiple news sites, the zoo will have "100 species from India and all over the world" including: African lions African elephants Bengal tigers "Black panthers" Cheetahs Indian wolves Komodo dragons Pygmy hippos Rosy pelicans Fishing cats Barking deer Sloth bears Slender lorises Giraffes Ostriches Meerkats Jaguars Asiatic lions Orangutans Lemurs Gorillas Malayan tapirs RIL to set up world's largest zoo in Gujarat India's richest family is planning to build the world's largest zoo, and the 280-acre project has already sparked a protest by animal activists Ambani's RIL To Build The World's Largest Zoo In Jamnagar On About 250 Acres Land
Also, the planned zoo is in some controversy, as 2 black panthers were traded from the Assam State Zoo in exchange for 2 pairs of zebras from Israel. Animal rights activists criticized the move by calling the transfer "hush-hush" and "a secret manner". Assam Congress condemns transfer of black panthers from State Zoo to Mukesh Ambani’s Jamnagar zoo
It is only the world's largest zoo if you limit the world to India, Tierpark Berlin is 40% larger, as are plenty of others.
The Toronto Zoo is 2.5 times larger. As for the plans, I have hope that the exhibits will be suitable for the animals, but think we might end up with a similar zoo to Pairi Daiza. We'll have to wait and see.
A 2023 opening sounds way to early for the amount of work it goes into building a whole zoo from scratch, especially if those involved have no knowledge or prior experience in doing so. What’s the probability of these people actually being able to acquire the animals that they want, exotics especially? I’m not too familiar with the species kept in Indian zoos, but I know that some of the species listed are incredibly hard to get throughout Asia. BTW, having said these, if I had the kind of money these people have, I would definitely make my own zoo. And to reiterate what others have said on here, 280 acres and 100 species is barely material for the title of “worlds largest” zoo.
I disagree, all of them are held by many Asian zoos. Indeed, the commonness of these species proves that that this zoo will also be the world’s most mediocre zoo. All the species listed are either being held or held previously within India, and I would argue that the only difficult to procure species will be those held in states ruled by parties that dislike Ambani.
If anybody remmembers the news few months back that an owner of a small Slovak zoo (unlicensed) was killed by its own animals. And the rest of lions and tigers kept at that place were (in worst case) meant for euthanasia in case nobody wanted to take them over. So, Greens Zoological, Rescue & Rehabilitation Kingdom has contacted them and showed interest to import them to India. Slovak ministry agreed and issue necessary permits on 26th July, the wife of the late zoo owner (who still has legal ownership of the animals) agreed happily too. So if the Indian zoo can get Indian import permit, the fate for the remaining 2 lions and 9 tigers will lead them far away from Europe. Basicaly all privately owned lions and tigers in Czechia and Slovakia now are descendands of animals kept at Czechoslovak circuses in 1989. Lions can be surely expected to be "African" but not of any pure subspecies. Tigers are mixed, but probably with good part of Amur blood because Amurs were easiest to get (during commie time from Russia) and they were prized for their large body size. I really hope that nobody will ever come to the idea to rewild any of imported animals or their future progeny. Source Could anybody report how it looks with construction of this zoo?
They also seem to have taken into possession other species from the Slovak Zoo. Greens zoo organised the transfer of 2 pairs to capybaras from the Slovak Zoo to, 2 government owned facilities in Sri Lanka in exchange for a few ungulate species to be sent to Greens. Newly arrived capybaras await date with zoo visitors
The zoo has sent a freighter jet to Ostrava airport last weekend and the 2 lions and 9 tigers from Slovakia got on board and are now already in India. Source
Another aquisition (already mentioned elsewhere) - in February 2023 ACTP exported following birds to Greens Zoo: 12.14 Spix's macaws 4.4 Saint Vincent amazons 0.4 Lear's macaws
