NEW DELHI: India has urged a UN wildlife trade body not to curb its imports of endangered species, saying it has tightened oversight amid growing allegations of irregular animal shipments to a large private zoo run by Asia’s richest family.

Vantara, a 3,500-acre zoo in Gujarat state run by the philanthropic arm of a conglomerate led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his family, has faced allegations of improper imports of certain animals, triggering higher scrutiny from authorities in Germany and the European Union, Reuters has reported.

Indian investigators tasked by the country’s Supreme Court to examine the allegations by non-profit and wildlife groups cleared the sanctuary of any wrongdoing in September, and Vantara has said it complies with all regulations.

However, after visiting the facility in September, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) issued a report last week asking India to review its procedures.

The report cited discrepancies between exporter and importer trade data and flagged insufficient checks on the origin of some animals.

In a submission to Cites dated November 10, India said any restrictive or punitive measure at this stage would lack legal foundation and risk unsettling the Cites framework, calling the measure “premature and disproportionate”.

The wildlife body’s request “would constitute a de facto suspension or moratorium on lawful” imports, the government said.

The Indian submission, posted on the Cites website ahead of its convention meeting this month, is first being reported by Reuters. It signals new wrangling over Vantara’s imports.

‘Exceptionally high standards’

Cites is a global treaty that regulates trade in endangered plants and animals, or products derived from them, with the aim of ensuring their survival.

While Cites acknowledged last week that Vantara operates facilities of “exceptionally high standards,” it recommended that India halt new import permits for endangered species until safeguards are tightened.

The body warned that without stricter checks, animals sourced from the wild could be misrepresented as captive-bred.

India countered that it “has strengthened inspection and reporting mechanisms for all recognised zoos and rescue facilities” including Vantara. The government also instructed the Central Zoo Authority to ensure enhanced due diligence for all future acquisitions.

Cites and Vantara did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the Indian government’s submission on Wednesday.

Vantara — home to 2,000 species

Vantara says it is home to some 2,000 species. That includes imported exotic species from South Africa, Venezuela, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, including snakes, tortoises, tigers, cheetahs, giraffes and chimpanzees.

The shipments were recorded with a declared value of $9 million, which Vantara has said reflected freight and insurance charges, not any payments for wildlife.

The Cites report last week noted that “a number of animals come from established commercial breeding facilities, which would normally sell the animals they breed”.

India has mounted a defence, saying in response that the SC panel’s findings showed imports were carried out in compliance with regulations.

Hilaria Baldwin admits to sometimes needing therapy over her 26-year age gap with husband Alec Baldwin.

The multi-hyphenate, 41, made the admission during a recent guest appearance on the Uncut and Uncensored with Caroline Stanbury podcast.

“I don’t believe that age is just a number, at least in our situation,” Hilaria admitted. “I think that there’s certain things where I have to look at him and say he has 26 more years of experience. And sometimes that’s a flex, and sometimes that means that we need to do a little therapy.”

Hilaria, who appeared on Dancing with the Stars season 34, added that she’s learned not to care about outside opinions, especially given that she’s entered her 40s. “You can’t please everybody,” she said.

“By your 40s, you know what you want, and that confidence is really sexy and comforting.”

She also shared that maturity has brought more peace and self-assurance. “The ups and downs and insecurities we have when we’re younger fade away. That’s a gift that comes with age.”

Hilaria and Alec, who married in 2012, share seven children, including daughters Carmen, 12, María, 4, and Ilaria, 2, and sons Rafael, 10, Leonardo, 9, Romeo, 7, and Eduardo, 5.

The Rust star is also father to Ireland Baldwin, 30, from his marriage to Kim Basinger.

Jenna Bush Hager has admitted that she dyed her hair to look like Claire Danes’ My So-Called Life character.

In a new chat with PEOPLE Magazine, Jenna Bush Hager revealed to Claire Danes that she once dyed her hair in middle school to look like Danes’ iconic character from series.

During her appearance on the latest episode of Jenna & Friends, the 43-year-old host confessed that one of Danes’ characters inspired her early hair transformation.

“I have had kind of a girl crush on you for a long time, including in the sixth grade when I got food coloring and I dyed my hair to look [like you],” Bush Hager told Danes, referring to her role as Angela Chase on the beloved teen drama.

The television personality even shared a side-by-side photo of herself as a kid and Danes’ character, both rocking the same reddish-brown shade. 

“I mean, please look, doesn’t that little person want to be the other little person?” she joked.

“That is very sweet,” replied Danes, 46, before moving to a new topic.