Phantasticus Pictures Announces the Launch of VANTARA: SANCTUARY STORIES, Premiering Friday, November 7th on Animal Planet

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 30, 2025--

Phantasticus Pictures today announced the premiere of Vantara: Sanctuary Stories - a groundbreaking new wildlife docuseries that takes viewers inside Vantara, the largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility on the planet.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030004932/en/

The six-episode series, hosted by globally renowned wildlife biologist and adventurer Forrest Galante, will debut on Animal Planet beginning Friday, November 7th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Throughout the series, Galante takes audiences on a visually stunning and emotionally rich journey into the heart of an exclusive and privately funded animal rescue and rehabilitation center that offers lifelong care for some of the most magnificent animals on Earth.

Located in Gujarat, India, Vantara is a closed-to-the-public sanctuary designed first-and-foremost for the well-being of the animals who live there. Now, Galante offers viewers an unprecedented look behind its walls - into a world very few have ever been allowed to enter.

“Filming at the world’s largest animal sanctuary in India is the most extraordinary opportunity of my career - not just to witness the incredible scale of conservation happening here, but to tell the stories of resilience and recovery,” says Host and Wildlife Biologist Forrest Galante. “This show is about the beauty of preservation, the power of compassion, and the hope that comes from protecting the health and wellness of every living creature.”

Spanning over 3,500 acres and home to over 1 million animals, Indian businessman Anant Ambani is the visionary behind Vantara who set out to redefine what animal rescue and welfare could look like in the modern world. What began as a mission to provide care for mistreated and displaced animals has evolved into one of the most ambitious conservation projects ever built - a sanctuary rooted in science, compassion and innovation.

The show will also air on JioHotstar, India's largest premium streaming platform.

A New Era in Wildlife Storytelling

Produced to the highest cinematic standards by Phantasticus Pictures, Vantara: Sanctuary Stories reimagines the spirit of the classic hit show, The Zoo, for a new generation. Each episode explores powerful, intertwining stories of the animals and the humans who care for them - from cutting-edge veterinary breakthroughs to emotional rescues and rehabilitations that defy the odds.

The series begins with “ The Heart of Vantara - The Experts,” which introduces the veterinarians, keepers and behaviorists who form the soul of the sanctuary and the animals whose lives they’ve transformed, including Pancham, a Bengal tiger once labeled a man-killer, now granted a second chance and undergoing rehabilitation at Vantara.

SERIES PREMIERE

Friday, November 7, 2025

9:00 p.m. ET/PT on Animal Planet // Available to stream on Discovery+

NEW EPISODES AIR FRIDAYS AT 9:00 P.M. ET/PT

About Forrest Galante

Forrest Galante is a globally renowned wildlife biologist, conservationist, and television host celebrated for his fearless approach to exploration and animal advocacy. Raised in Zimbabwe, Galante developed a deep connection to wildlife from an early age. He rose to prominence as the host of Discovery’s Extinct or Alive, where his groundbreaking expeditions led to the rediscovery of 8 species once thought extinct. Today, his work spans continents and platforms — from over 1.9 Million YouTube subscribers to leading global conservation initiatives — to inspiring millions to protect the natural world. With Vantara: Sanctuary Stories, Galante brings his signature passion and authenticity to one of the planet’s most remarkable and private sanctuaries.

About Phantasticus Pictures

Phantasticus Pictures is a global production studio dedicated to creating cinematic, purpose-driven storytelling that inspires, educates, and entertains. Specializing in unscripted television, documentary, and branded content, the company partners with visionary creators and organizations to bring extraordinary true stories to life. From wildlife and adventure to science and culture, Phantasticus productions blend stunning visuals with emotional depth and journalistic integrity. Its team of award-winning filmmakers and producers has worked across six continents, crafting content that resonates with audiences worldwide. With Vantara: Sanctuary Stories, Phantasticus continues its mission to spotlight the people and places shaping a more compassionate and sustainable planet.

Wildlife biologist and adventurer Forrest Galante takes viewers inside Vantara, the largest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility on the planet. For the first time ever, Galante offers an unprecedented look inside the walls of this extraordinary, not-for-profit sanctuary - a world very few have ever been allowed to enter. His six-episode series, Vantara: Sanctuary Stories, premiers November 7th at 9 PM EST on Animal Planet.

DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.

The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday,” according to a post on the airport's official X account.

A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.

“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”

The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”

The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now” before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”

Frontier Airlines said in a statement that flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.

The airline said the plane was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members.

Passengers were evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.

“We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the airline said.

Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, was closed amid an investigation. It reopened Saturday around 11 a.m.

The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident or the name of the employee.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. “We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”

FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)