Experts from across the world have gathered in Jamnagar, Gujarat, to give a new direction to wildlife conservation, animal welfare and scientific research. Vantara is hosting the Annual Conference of the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA) 2026 from October 26 to 29. The conference has brought together 98 organisations from 30 countries, along with 29 zoological parks from India.
Organised under the theme “Strengthening Global Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation,” the conference has brought together veterinarians, scientists, conservation specialists and zoo officials. Its primary objective is to exchange experiences, research findings and conservation initiatives from different countries while jointly developing strategies for the future protection of wildlife.
The opening ceremony featured a special performance by three-time Grammy Award-winning musician and environmentalist Ricky Kej, which became one of the major highlights of the event.
Following the performance, EARAZA President Svetlana Akulova, Professor Raman Sukumar of the Indian Institute of Science, and Dr V. Clement Ben, Member Secretary of the Central Zoo Authority, participated in the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.
Bivaan Karani, Chief Executive Officer of Vantara, which is hosting the conference, announced that all EARAZA member organisations would receive free access to the ANTZ software platform for one year.
ANTZ is a secure, cloud-based system designed to help zoos streamline their management operations and exchange important information more efficiently.
Karani said that wildlife conservation cannot succeed through the efforts of a single organisation. He emphasised that institutions can improve their work by learning from one another, cooperating and sharing their experiences.
Similarly, EARAZA President Svetlana Akulova said that wildlife conservation in today’s world cannot be restricted by national borders. She stressed that sharing data, expertise and responsibilities would make conservation programmes more effective.
The conference is witnessing detailed discussions on international conservation programmes for several wildlife species. These include the Amur tiger, Oriental stork, Blakiston’s fish owl and the Great Bustard.
Special emphasis is also being placed on developing global data systems for biodiversity conservation. Experts are discussing how research findings from one institution can support conservation decisions and improve wildlife protection efforts at other institutions.
Other important topics include measuring animal welfare, handling emergencies at animal care facilities, wildlife treatment and strengthening veterinary services across different regions.
Padma Shri awardee Dr K. K. Sharma, popularly known as the “Elephant Doctor of Asia,” has also shared his experiences on addressing human-wildlife conflict.
Discussions are additionally focusing on urban biodiversity, citizen-participation-based scientific research, wildlife disease diagnosis and animal nutrition.
An exhibition has also been organised as part of the conference, featuring 13 organisations from seven countries.
The exhibition showcases modern veterinary equipment, disease-diagnostic technologies, genetic research innovations, artificial intelligence-powered microscopes, assisted reproductive technologies for conservation breeding and advanced egg-incubation systems for birds.
Vantara has also presented its latest initiatives in animal management, nutrition, infrastructure and technology.
Among the latest innovations introduced through the ANTZ platform are Vesper, a system designed to identify animal sounds; Smart Egg Analysis, which monitors egg conditions and heartbeats; and NFC-enabled devices for recording animal-care-related information.
These technologies aim to make daily animal care, monitoring and data management more efficient and convenient.
On October 29, six distinguished personalities will receive Lifetime Service Awards during the conference’s closing ceremony.
The awardees include EARAZA President and Director General of Moscow Zoo, Svetlana Akulova; Rene Franek, founder of Chleby Zoo in the Czech Republic; and Azer Huseynov, Director of Baku Zoo.
From India, S. C. Sharma, founding Member Secretary of the Central Zoo Authority, along with former Member Secretaries Dr D. N. Singh and B. S. Bonal, will also be honoured for their contributions.
On this occasion, the 11th edition of the Indian Zoo Yearbook 2026 will also be released.
At the conclusion of the event, the EARAZA flag will be handed over to the organisers of the 2027 conference.
The international conference in Jamnagar aims to create new opportunities for global cooperation, knowledge exchange and improved animal care in the field of wildlife conservation.
With the participation of 98 organisations from 30 countries, the event represents an important step towards strengthening international partnerships and building a more effective and collaborative approach to protecting wildlife and biodiversity worldwide.
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