Big cats - lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and cheetahs - are majestic animals who deserve to live free from exploitation. But right now, they’re being traded across borders in growing numbers, often under the radar and with little public scrutiny.

Between 2020 and 2025, India imported at least 540 live big cats from over nine countries, according to commercial shipping data and international trade records. Most of these animals were sent from South Africa, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates, with some reports indicating tigers were imported from Argentina, even though Argentina recorded no such exports.

A large number of these big cats were imported by Vantara - officially the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) - a privately funded facility in Jamnagar, India. While Vantara describes itself as a rescue and rehabilitation centre, the unprecedented volume of animals it has received, and the lack of public information about where they came from, raise serious questions about how this trade is being managed - and what it means for the animals involved.

At FOUR PAWS, we believe rescue means more than just relocation. It means safety, transparency, rehabilitation and a lifetime commitment to animal welfare, not commercial trade dressed up as conservation.

When we compared data from the CITES Trade Database with commercial shipping records (bills of lading), we found significant discrepancies:

Argentina: India reported 49 tigers imported (CITES), but Argentina reported zero exports, and no records were registered in commercial shipping data.

These mismatches highlight a lack of coordination between authorities, and they seriously undermine efforts to track and protect endangered species. When it comes to CITES Appendix I species, which are supposed to have the highest level of protection, this level of discrepancy is deeply alarming.

Every wildlife trade permit includes codes to explain the animal’s source and purpose. These are meant to prevent illegal or unethical trade, but in reality, they’re often misused.

In the case of the Vantara imports, the majority of animals were labelled with these codes. However, many of the source facilities are not registered to breed CITES Appendix I species, as required under Resolution Conf. 10.16. Several are linked to cub handling, commercial trade, or previous wildlife trafficking concerns. And there’s no public evidence that they’re engaged in conservation or reintroduction programmes.

These issues raise doubts about whether Legal Acquisition Findings - a mandatory requirement under CITES rules - were properly completed and verified.

Between May 2022 and December 2024, India imported over 33,000 live animals, spanning 792 species. Of those, 38% were CITES-listed, highlighting just how large and sensitive this trade is.

While this is a systemic issue, the case of Vantara stands out. The unprecedented number of animals imported to a single facility raises serious questions about sourcing, oversight, and the purpose of these transfers - questions that remain unanswered. When trade records are inconsistent and animals are labelled as “zoological” without clear standards, it becomes nearly impossible to ensure their welfare or safeguard the species involved.

FOUR PAWS is calling for common-sense reforms to stop commercial exploitation hiding behind conservation labels:

Animals can’t be protected if the systems meant to safeguard them are so easily bypassed. It's time to close the loopholes and ensure trade rules work in practice, not just on paper. That’s why FOUR PAWS has written to the CITES Secretariat with a comprehensive analysis of these trade discrepancies, listed the commercial entities involved, and provided recommendations.

We’re committed to pushing for change, but we can’t do it without you. When you support FOUR PAWS, you’re helping shine a light on the hidden wildlife trade and protect animals from exploitation.

Add your voice to demand wildlife trade reform.