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.

TORONTO (AP) — Schools were closed in Canada's largest city of Toronto and commuters faced severe delays on Thursday as heavy snow continued to hammer much of southern Ontario, blocking streets and forcing cars into ditches.

Environment Canada said regions including the Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener and Hamilton are expected to see up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow into Thursday afternoon.

Toronto, York, Peel and Halton Region schools closed Thursday morning, and institutions including the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University and York University announced their campuses were closed.

Complete school closures due to snow are rare in Toronto.

Environment Canada said the Ottawa area will see up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) of snow, tapering off Thursday evening. It added that northerly wind gusts of up to 60 kilometers (37 milies) per hour will result in blowing snow and reduced visibility, and a sharp temperature drop will cause very cold wind chills.

Provincial police advised residents to stay off the roads if possible, and officers responded to dozens of collisions and cars in ditches. Police said there were multiple road closures across southern Ontario, including ramps at the Highway 403 near the Burlington and Hamilton border and parts of Highway 401 in eastern Ontario.

Both Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow cancelled public events Thursday due to the inclement weather.

At Toronto’s Pearson airport, officials said air traffic management procedures were in place and impacting some arriving and departing flights.

Travellers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, where snow clearing operations were underway.

Pedestrians cross Bay Street along Front Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)

Pedestrians, obscured by snow thrown by workers cleaning a work site overhead, cross Adelaide Street along Yonge Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)

Pedestrians cross Adelaide Street along Yonge Street amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)

A cargo cyclist rides along Adelaide Street East amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)

Commuters make their way to their destinations on King Street East amid heavy snowfall and accumulation as snow and heavy winds continue to hammer the Greater Toronto Area, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (Giordano Ciampini /The Canadian Press via AP)