Curiosity Weekly – “The Biggest Animal Sanctuary in the World with Forrest Galante”

Host: Dr. Samantha Yammine
Guest: Forrest Galante
Release Date: January 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Curiosity Weekly dives into the world of large-scale animal rescue and rehabilitation, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the Ventara Sanctuary—considered the world's largest and most advanced animal sanctuary for rescued wildlife. Host Dr. Samantha Yammine interviews conservationist and wildlife biologist Forrest Galante, who recently documented Ventara for the series Sanctuary Stories. Together, they explore how Ventara challenges the standard conservation model by implementing a “gold standard” of animal husbandry, made possible by unique cultural values and unlimited private funding. The discussion also touches on the psychological and logistical challenges of rescuing animals at scale, the ethical dilemmas faced, and what sets Ventara apart from traditional zoos.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Sanctuaries Redefined at Scale

(08:22–11:11)

• Dr. Yammine sets the stage by contrasting typical notions of animal sanctuaries with the scientific and ethical complexities involved in running a massive operation like Ventara.
• Forrest Galante recounts his initial realization of the sanctuary’s scale:
  • “I walked around for a day and I was like, wow, that's amazing... And they're like, you've only seen one of the sites. ...There's 50 sites. ...So the scale of it is unbelievable, but it's more the attention to detail at Ventara that is unparalleled.” (Galante, 09:46)
• Ventara is a privately funded operation for animal welfare, not profit, and sets a benchmark for animal care rather than serving as a public attraction.

2. Logistics, Ethics, and Decision-Making in Rescue Centers

(11:11–12:38)

• The sanctuary often takes in animals in dire need, such as those abused or injured in circuses.
  • Unlike zoos, Ventara doesn't select “perfect” animals but rescues the most traumatized and difficult cases.
• Private funding allows for extraordinary veterinary interventions and individualized attention, with no concern for financial ROI.

3. Shifting from “Greater Good” to Individual Welfare

(12:57–14:55)

• Traditional conservationists typically prioritize populations or ecosystems over individuals, but Ventara operates under the belief—rooted in Hindu philosophy—that every individual life has value.
  • “They believe that every life matters to the point... I watched what I would consider to be a $30,000 or $40,000 jaw replacement surgery on an Argentinian tegu, an animal that you can buy ...for probably 40 bucks.” (Galante, 13:35)
• The sanctuary provides care for all animals, from pythons to elephants, and never chooses euthanasia as a standard outcome.

4. Supporting Both Animals and Their Human Handlers

(18:27–21:26)

• Unique to Ventara is its inclusion of mahouts (elephant handlers) and their families in its rescue mission.
  • Maintaining mahout-elephant bonds is seen as essential for animal psychological health.
  • The mahouts are reformed from traditional negative reinforcement techniques to positive, well-paid roles.
  • “If you rip that elephant away from that mahout, it can easily die of a broken heart... So what does Ventara do? They rescue not just the elephant, but the mahout and his entire family and they bring them to Ventara and they give them a house...” (Galante, 18:47)

5. Policy, Culture, and the Limits of Conservation

(21:26–24:22)

• Galante critiques the global conservation system as being hampered by bureaucracy, egos, and infighting.
  • “They're too busy infighting and setting a meeting to talk about the meeting, ...that nothing ever effing gets done anymore... So now there's a race to put out sensationalized nonsense that doesn't actually necessarily positively affect conservation.” (Galante, 21:56)
• He argues the main barrier to progress is not a lack of interest but a dysfunctional system that prioritizes competition for resources and flashy headlines over real-world action.

6. Why Document and Share Ventara’s Story?

(24:22–26:42)

• Galante pushed for a public-facing documentary to spread Ventara’s innovations in animal husbandry.
  • Initially, the owner, Anat, was reluctant to publicize the project.
  • “I said to him, Anat, that's criminal. ...You've created something here that is so unbelievably spectacular for animal husbandry the world over that the world should see it...” (Galante, 24:35)
  • The team eventually agreed, resulting in the hit series Sanctuary Stories.

7. Open Questions & Hopes for the Model's Replication

(26:42–28:03)

• Galante’s lingering question: How can Ventara’s model and its philosophy of individual animal welfare be expanded to other places?
  • “The place is pure good... And the question that I have is, how do we get those satellite facilities up and off the ground? ...How do we get the world on the same page?” (Galante, 26:49)
• Galante hopes publicizing the sanctuary’s methods will inspire global adoption.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On scale and impact:
  “What I'm hoping is that people...look at this and go, okay, this is the gold standard of animal husbandry and this is what we can do.” — Forrest Galante (10:20)

• On individualized care:
  “So whether it's a mouse or an elephant, a tegu or a Burmese python, they give it individualized care to the utmost degree. Nothing is euthanized.” — Forrest Galante (14:30)

• On the difference between sanctuaries and zoos:
  “Ventara is not designed for viewing animals. It's designed for animal welfare... it's not built for humans. ...It's built for humans to serve animals.” — Forrest Galante (15:30)

• On bureaucracy in conservation:
  “They're too busy infighting and setting a meeting to talk about the meeting...that nothing ever effing gets done anymore.” — Forrest Galante (21:56)

• On publicizing Ventara:
  “You've created something here that is so unbelievably spectacular...the world should see it.” — Forrest Galante (24:35)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• 01:03–05:43: Scientific study on how helping others slows cognitive decline.
• 08:22–11:11: The complexity and scale of real sanctuaries; Forrest's first impressions of Ventara.
• 12:57–14:55: Philosophical/cultural shift—Valuing every animal as an individual.
• 15:30–16:43: Why Ventara is not a zoo and the core difference in design philosophy.
• 18:27–21:26: Mahout rescue: supporting both elephants and their lifelong handlers.
• 21:56–24:22: Critique of modern conservation's systemic problems.
• 24:35–26:42: Documentary’s backstory and Ventara’s decision to go public.
• 26:49–28:03: Galante’s big question—How can the model propagate globally?

Additional Science News Discussed

• Helping Others and Brain Health (02:20–05:43)

  • New research shows that regularly helping others, even informally, slows cognitive decline in older adults.

• Elite Performers Study (31:15–34:50)

  • A recent study challenges the idea that early specialization leads to world-class success; many top performers started late and excelled across multiple domains.

Final Thoughts

Through personal stories and sharp analysis, Galante and Yammine illuminate the untapped possibilities of wildlife rescue when constraints are lifted and compassion is applied at scale. While the “Ventara Model” is extraordinary and perhaps unique in its resources, it offers a working vision—rooted equally in science, culture, and ethics—of what animal welfare could become worldwide.

Listen to Sanctuary Stories for the full look inside Ventara’s groundbreaking sanctuary work, now streaming on HBO Max and Discovery+.

For additional references and more episodes, visit the Curiosity Weekly homepage.