JAMNAGAR, India — Global football icon Lionel Messi visited Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conservation centre founded by Anant Ambani, participating in traditional rituals and touring the facility’s conservation and veterinary operations.
In keeping with the centre’s customs rooted in Sanatana Dharma, which emphasises reverence for nature and all living beings, Messi took part in Hindu rituals, observed wildlife care activities, and interacted with caregivers and conservation teams. The visit highlighted the shared interest in wildlife conservation between Messi and Ambani.
Messi was accompanied by Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul. The group was welcomed with traditional folk music, a ceremonial aarti and floral offerings.
The trio undertook a guided tour of Vantara’s conservation ecosystem, which houses rescued big cats, elephants, herbivores, reptiles and fostered young animals from various regions. Messi also visited a green energy complex and the world’s largest refinery complex, where he expressed admiration for the scale of the operations.
At the big cat care centre, Messi observed lions, leopards and tigers living in naturalistic, enriched habitats. He later toured the Herbivore Care Centre and Reptile Care Centre, where animals receive specialised veterinary care, nutrition and behavioural support. Messi also visited the multispecialty wildlife hospital, observing real-time clinical and surgical procedures, and later fed okapis, rhinos, giraffes and elephants.
Messi praised India’s efforts in advancing wildlife conservation during the visit.
At the Foster Care Centre, which supports orphaned and vulnerable animals, Messi learned about rehabilitation initiatives. In a symbolic gesture, Anant Ambani and Radhika Ambani named a lion cub “Lionel” in his honour.
A key moment of the visit occurred at the Elephant Care Centre, where Messi met Maniklal, a rescued elephant calf saved two years ago along with his mother, Prathima, from labour in the logging industry. Messi participated in a football-based enrichment activity with the calf, drawing attention to the role of play in animal welfare.
Responding in Spanish to Ambani’s remarks, Messi said the work at Vantara was “truly beautiful,” praising the care and rehabilitation of animals and describing the visit as a meaningful experience.
The visit concluded with Messi taking part in traditional rituals symbolising goodwill and auspicious beginnings. Messi, who leads the Leo Messi Foundation supporting education, healthcare and children’s welfare globally, expressed alignment with Vantara’s conservation mission. (GlobeNewswire)
