The Eurasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EARAZA) Annual Conference 2026 was held at Vantara in Jamnagar, Gujarat, from October 26 to 29, bringing together representatives of 98 institutions across 30 countries and 29 zoological institutions from India.
During the inauguration, Vantara CEO Vivaan Karani announced that the ANTZ Software Platform would be made available free of cost to all EARAZA members for one year. The cloud-based platform helps zoological institutions manage operations and share information through an Open Data Exchange. The four-day conference featured discussions on conservation programmes for species such as the Amur tiger, Oriental stork, Blakiston’s eagle-owl and great bustard. Sessions also covered animal welfare, veterinary care, wildlife diagnostics, nutrition, biodiversity, human-wildlife conflict and disaster preparedness. Other discussions focused on the role of citizen science, media and public engagement in conservation. Delegates also participated in sessions on strengthening veterinary capacity and developing shared data infrastructure for biodiversity programmes.
The event included an exhibition featuring 13 exhibitors from seven countries, showcasing veterinary technologies, diagnostic tools, genomics, conservation breeding solutions and wildlife-care innovations. The conference also marked the release of the Indian Zoo Yearbook, Volume 11, 2026. Six international and Indian zoological experts were scheduled to receive Lifetime Achievement Awards at the closing ceremony on October 29.
Held under the theme “Strengthening Global Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation”, the conference focused on cross-border collaboration, knowledge-sharing and improving wildlife conservation practices.
