JAMNAGAR: Vantara hosted the Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA) Annual Conference 2026 from October 26 to 29, bringing together leaders, veterinarians, scientists and conservationists from 98 institutions across 30 countries, along with 29 zoological institutions from India.
Under the theme ‘Strengthening Global Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation’, it is bringing shared knowledge into focus to support coordinated action across borders.
The inauguration featured a performance by three-time Grammy Award-winning composer and environmentalist Ricky Kej, followed by the traditional lighting of the lamp by Svetlana Akulova, President, EARAZA; Prof Raman Sukumar, Indian Institute of Science; and Dr V Clement Ben, Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority.
Welcoming delegates as host, Vivaan Karani, Chief Executive Officer of Vantara, announced that the ANTZ Software Platform would be offered free of charge to all EARAZA members for one year. ANTZ is a secure cloud platform for managing zoological institutions, with an Open Data Exchange that lets members share information.
Vantara CEO Vivaan Karani said, “Vantara means the ‘Star of the Forest’. But a single star cannot illuminate the entire sky. It takes a constellation. We do not come here simply to share what we have built. We come to learn from you, collaborate with you and support your work, because when one institution advances, it should create opportunities for others to advance with it.”
Addressing on the occasion, Akulova stressed, “Conservation today cannot stop at national borders. When institutions share data, expertise and responsibility, every programme becomes stronger. This conference is about turning our network into a true partnership.”
The programme read like a map of modern conservation. From the forests of the Russian Far East to the Arctic ice, species coordinators are sharing cross-border programmes for the Amur tiger, Oriental stork, Blakiston’s eagle-owl and great bustard, alongside lesser-known efforts for Boiga snakes and the reintroduction of the long-eared hedgehog. Akulova has set out a vision for a global data infrastructure for biodiversity conservation, so that what one institution learns can inform decisions across many.
