A rare Brazilian parrot sparks an "international" controversy.

A rare Brazilian parrot sparks an "international" controversy

A rare Brazilian parrot sparks an "international" controversy

For more than two years, officials on three continents have been arguing over a parrot declared extinct in the wild in 2019, and over the presence of 26 of them in a private zoo in India run by the philanthropic arm of a conglomerate controlled by the Ambani family, Asia's richest family.

This is the story of a bird and a family. But it's no ordinary bird, and it's no ordinary family. Spix's macaw, a bright blue bird with a complex mating ritual, was declared extinct in the wild in 2019. Since then, a captive breeding program has seen some of these parrots reintroduced to their native Brazil.

Indian investigators cleared the zoo of any wrongdoing last week. But European officials say they are closely monitoring any exports to the zoo, officially called the Vantara Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, while Brazil, Germany, and India are seeking a solution through a UN-run body that monitors wildlife trade.

The 3,500-acre Vantara Centre in Gujarat state claims to be home to around 2,000 species. The facility featured prominently last year at the pre-wedding celebrations of its chairman, Anant Ambani, the younger son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani. Guests included Ivanka Trump, daughter of US President Donald Trump, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the zoo, which is adjacent to an oil refinery run by the Ambani family's Reliance Industries, in March.

The shipments were recorded at a declared value of $9 million, but a Vantara spokesperson said they were freight and insurance fees, not payments for the purchase of wildlife. "These are not commercial animal transactions," the spokesperson said. "No commercial consideration was paid for any animal transferred to Vantara."

In August, India's Supreme Court ordered investigators to examine whether Vantara's animal acquisitions and treatment complied with Indian laws and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The court ruled last week that investigators found no violations.

* The parrot isn't extinct... it's in India

The biggest dispute has been over Spix's parrots, which customs records, Brazilian officials, and CITES documents indicate the center acquired in 2023 from the Association for the Conservation of Endangered Parrots (ACTP), a Germany-based nonprofit that had partnered with Brazilian authorities to breed the birds. Brazil says it did not agree to the transfer of the parrots to India and has raised its concerns at CITES meetings.

"The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation, a Brazilian government agency, told Reuters in an email on September 8 that "Vantara Zoo has not yet joined the Spix's Macaw Population Management Program, a prerequisite for this institution's official participation in species conservation efforts." Brasilia terminated its agreement with ACTP last year, saying it had sent Spix's Macaws to other countries as part of "commercial transactions" without Brazil's approval.

The non-profit organization had previously denied that the transfer of the parrots was for commercial purposes and did not respond to a request for comment before publication. After the story was published, the German law firm Kronemaier Heich, representing ACTP, said in an email to Reuters that the organization had not received payments for the transfer of the parrots to India. A Vantara spokesperson told Reuters that the transfer of the parrots was "completely legal, non-commercial, and a conservation arrangement with ACTP."

The German Federal Environment Ministry told Reuters that it had agreed to the transfer of the parrots to Vantara in 2023 "in good faith," but had not consulted with Brazil at the time. A ministry spokesperson said that last year, after consulting with Brazilian authorities, Berlin rejected a request to transfer more Spix's macaws to Vantara on the grounds that the zoo "does not participate" in the population management program for the species.

* Popcorn for elephants

Vantara's annual report shows that in the year ending March 2024, only 20 percent of the 6,355 animals that arrived at the center came from within India. Overall, the center imported species from 40 countries.

The zoo has evolved from a barren landscape in 2020 to a lush, forest-like landscape of manicured lawns and lush greenery, as satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies show. During media tours, Anant Ambani showcased kitchens equipped with high-end products used to prepare fresh juices, desserts, and even popcorn to reward the elephants.

When Modi visited Vantara this year, his office released an eight-minute video showing him feeding lion cubs, elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. One image showed a Spix's parrot perched on the prime minister's hand. The Indian government defended Vantara at CITES meetings in Geneva in February, saying the facility was a "recognized breeding center for endangered species."

Last week, judges in New Delhi released a summary of the Indian investigators' report. Among the findings were the issuance of export and import permits for Spix's parrots and that Vantara held direct talks with Brazil regarding "reintroduction to the wild." The report added, "Discussions are still in their preliminary stages."