Ever since Prime Minister Modi inaugurated the Vantara Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar on March 4, chaos has erupted within opposition and communist circles. The situation became even more heated when cricket and film stars shared posts supporting PM Modi and the Vantara initiative, further aggravating critics. Social media was soon flooded with attacks, criticism, and ridicule.
One particular claim making rounds on social media insinuates that lions from Gujarat were secretly transferred to Vantara, which is run by the Reliance Foundation. Communist-leaning social media users, though not stating it outright, are subtly yet unmistakably suggesting that the reported deaths of 286 lions and 456 leopards were, in reality, a cover-up for their relocation to Vantara.
Siddharth KM stated, ‘286 lions, 456 leopards died in Gujarat in two years: State Forest Minister. Isn’t it ironical that Vantara also operates from the same State?’
286 lions, 456 leopards died in Gujarat in two years: State Forest Minister
— Siddarth K.M. (சித்தார்த் கோ.மு.) (@Sidzepp) March 5, 2025
Isn't it ironical that Vantara also operates from the same State? pic.twitter.com/cJJLKFrHpc
Dipesh Dutt wrote, ‘Gujarat government confirms it lost 286 lions, 456 leopards in two years. Did anyone look in Vantara?’
Gujarat government confirms it lost 286 lions, 456 leopards in two years
— 🅳🅳 (@DipeshDutt) March 6, 2025
🤦🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Did anyone look in Vantara? 😂 https://t.co/bhf4A1m42Q
Nehr_who asserted, ‘Guess how reliance’s Vantara is getting access to so many animals despite strict guidelines? 286 lions and 456 leopards have died in Gujarat alone in the last 2 years. But instead of focusing on strict policy, rehabilitation and proper training, PM does PR with the animals.’
Guess how reliance’s Vantara is getting access to so many animals despite strict guidelines?
— Nehr_who? (@Nher_who) March 5, 2025
286 lions and 456 leopards have died in Gujarat alone in the last 2 years.
But instead of focusing on strict policy, rehabilitation and proper training, PM does PR with the animals. pic.twitter.com/kzignArrkG
Congress Leader Avinash Kadbe claimed, ‘Guess how Reliance’s Vantara is getting access to so many animals despite strict guidelines? In the last 2 years, 286 lions and 456 leopards have died in Gujarat alone. But instead of focusing on strict policy rehabilitation and proper training, PM does PR with animals.’
अंदाजा लगाइए कि सख्त दिशा-निर्देशों के बावजूद रिलायंस के वनतारा को इतने सारे जानवरों तक पहुंच कैसे मिल रही है?
— Avinash Kadbe اویناش کڈبے (@INCAvinashkadbe) March 7, 2025
पिछले 2 सालों में अकेले गुजरात में 286 शेर और 456 तेंदुए मर चुके हैं। लेकिन सख्त नीति पुनर्वास और उचित प्रशिक्षण पर ध्यान देने के बजाय पीएम जानवरों के साथ पीआर करते हैं
Mini Nair also shared a post along the same lines.
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Fact Check
We began our fact-checking process by searching relevant keywords on Google. This led us to a report by The Hindu, published on March 4, 2025. According to the report, Gujarat’s state Forest Minister, Mulubhai Bera, informed the legislative assembly that 286 lions, including 143 cubs, died in the state over the past two years. Of these, 58 deaths were due to unnatural causes. He was responding to a question from senior Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar during the assembly’s Question Hour. Bera also stated that 456 leopards, including 140 cubs, died in the same period (2023-2024).
The report further detailed that 225 leopards died in 2023 and 231 in 2024. Among the lions, 228 deaths were from natural causes, while 58 were due to incidents such as vehicle collisions or drowning in open wells. Similarly, 303 leopard deaths were natural, and 153 were due to unnatural causes. The minister added that the state government has taken measures to prevent such deaths, including appointing veterinary doctors and introducing an ambulance service for timely treatment of lions and other wildlife.
A Times of India report from March 5, 2025, provided similar figures. It stated that in the past two years, 286 Asiatic lions, including 143 cubs, died in Gujarat, with 58 of these being unnatural deaths. During the same period, 456 leopards also died, including cubs. In 2023, the state recorded the deaths of 58 adult lions and 63 cubs, while in 2024, the numbers increased to 85 adult lions and 80 cubs. For leopards, 225 deaths (including 71 cubs) were recorded in 2023, and in 2024, this rose to 231, including 69 cubs. A total of 153 leopard deaths were unnatural.
A wildlife expert noted that big cat cubs have a lower survival rate, with only about 40% making it past their first three years. Cannibalism is a major reason for high cub mortality.
Similar reports were also published by The New Indian Express and Moneycontrol.
Therefore, the claims made by communist-leaning social media users suggesting that lions and leopards were secretly moved to Vantara instead of dying are completely baseless. Official data presented in the Gujarat assembly clearly shows that these deaths were recorded over two years, with details on natural and unnatural causes.
| Claim | 286 lions and 456 leopards were not actually dead but were secretly moved to Vantara Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre. |
| Claimed by | Social media users |
| Fact Check | Official data presented in the Gujarat assembly confirms that these deaths occurred over the past two years due to both natural and unnatural causes. |
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