Messi visits Vantara, highlights wildlife conservation during India tour

Football legend Lionel Messi visited Anant Ambani’s Vantara wildlife conservation centre in Jamnagar, interacting with caregivers and learning about animal rescue, rehabilitation and long-term care during his India visit.

Global football icon Lionel Messi on Tuesday visited Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre in Jamnagar, marking a key moment during his widely discussed India visit.

The Argentine legend received a warm traditional welcome, complete with folk music, floral greetings and customary rituals, on arrival at the sprawling facility founded by Anant Ambani. Messi was accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. The trio took part in a ceremonial Aarti and spent time engaging with staff working across the conservation centre.

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Images from the visit showed Messi, Suárez and De Paul alongside Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, as they toured the premises. During the visit, Messi explored Vantara’s extensive conservation ecosystem, which houses rescued big cats, elephants, herbivores, reptiles and several fostered animals.

Messi interacted closely with animal caregivers and veterinary professionals, learning about the specialised medical treatment, nutrition planning and rehabilitation processes followed at the centre. Officials briefed the footballer on how animals rescued from challenging and often unsafe conditions are gradually rehabilitated and provided long-term care in a protected and humane environment. Messi was seen observing daily animal welfare practices and engaging in detailed discussions with teams involved in conservation work.

The Jamnagar visit came a day after Messi concluded his much-anticipated GOAT India Tour, which ended in Delhi on Monday, the final leg of his three-day visit. The tour began amid heavy crowds in Kolkata on Saturday, after which Messi travelled to Hyderabad and Mumbai, before arriving in the national capital.

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