(MENAFN- Kaizzen Communications) Dubai, November 6, 2025: The recent Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (“CITES”) commendation of India’s world-class animal-welfare and conservation practices provides a timely benchmark for others. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also strengthening its global-standard wildlife protection and biodiversity conservation framework. With its robust regulatory systems, ambitious biodiversity strategies, and expanding protected-area network, the UAE has emerged as a regional leader in wildlife conservation.
The UAE’s commitment to wildlife protection is evident in several landmark initiatives. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) launched the National Red List covering 1,167 species, revealing that 46.7% of the nation’s mammals, 53% of birds, and 19% of reptiles are endangered, underscoring the urgency of conservation efforts. The country’s protected areas — such as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, which spans 225.9 square kilometres and shelters over 560 species, including endangered Arabian oryx, gazelles, and the MacQueen’s bustard — have become models of habitat preservation and sustainable eco-tourism.
Similarly, institutions like Al Ain Zoo, which houses over 4,000 animals and has achieved significant breeding success with the Arabian oryx and houbara bustard, and Dubai Safari Park, which recently celebrated 153 newborns of endangered species, reflect the UAE’s emphasis on ethical breeding, advanced veterinary care, and educational outreach. Additionally, the rediscovery of the Arabian caracal in Fujairah’s Wadi Wurayah National Park has been hailed as a triumph for national biodiversity monitoring programmes.
As the background, CITES, in its recent report, has commended the world-class animal welfare and conservation standards at Gujarat’s Vantara, following an official visit by its Secretariat to India in September this year. The report highlighted that “it has not found evidence of any import for primarily commercial purposes or commercial use of the imported animals” and lauded the exceptionally high standards maintained — including advanced veterinary care, well-designed enclosures, and ethical practices.
The Secretariat’s report, prepared for the upcoming seventy-ninth meeting of the CITES Standing Committee in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, underscored India’s robust wildlife legislation and Vantara’s advanced veterinary care, infrastructure, and ethical operations.
CITES — an international agreement between governments aimed at ensuring that global trade in wild fauna and flora does not threaten their survival — operates through a Standing Committee that provides policy guidance and oversight, with representatives from six global regions, including Asia.
The Secretariat observed: “Both the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (GZRRC) and the Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT) operate in accordance with exceptionally high standards and have advanced facilities, including in terms of enclosures and veterinary care.”
Both institutions, located within the Vantara complex, were recognized for developing advanced veterinary procedures and achieving “important successes in medical care and treatment of animals.” The Secretariat also encouraged that “these experiences be shared with the wider scientific community.”
The report further confirmed India’s compliance with CITES regulations, noting:
“Based on a desk review of the information provided, and after completion of the mission to India, the Secretariat notes that it has not found evidence of animals being imported to India without CITES export permits or re-export certificates and, for Appendix-I species, import permits.”
India’s Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972—amended in 2022—was recognized as meeting CITES’ minimum legal standards and placed in Category 1 under the National Legislation Project, indicating full compliance with the Convention’s requirements.
The CITES team further noted that both facilities “explicitly emphasized that the sale of animals or their offspring has never been intended, and neither will it be pursued in the future,” reaffirming Vantara’s conservation-oriented mission.
Vantara’s two centers are officially recognized by Indian authorities. The GZRRC was approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) in 2019, with renewals following in 2023 and 2025, while the RKTEWT received recognition as a zoo in July 2025. The facilities currently house over 47,000 animals across thousands of species and have approved breeding programs for 26 native and 16 non-native species, including successful breeding of Asiatic lions and ongoing efforts for Spix macaws.
In a similar spirit, the UAE’s conservation and adherence to international wildlife-trade norms demonstrates the benchmarks it is setting. From large-scale habitat protection to precision-led breeding programmes, both India’s and the UAE’s examples show that ethical stewardship and scientific innovation can safeguard biodiversity for generations to come.

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