In brief
Vikram, a veteran Tamil‑film star, posted a short clip of himself cuddling a lar gibbon, an endangered ape listed under CITES, which was deleted in hours. Tamil Nadu’s forest department is now probing how the animal arrived at a relative’s house in Chennai, whether permits were obtained, and if the gibbons were smuggled from Vietnam or Myanmar. Authorities are tracing the pet’s movements from Manipur to Tamil Nadu, while India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau is reviewing the case against the backdrop of rising illegal exotic‑animal trade into the country.
Vikram, a household name in Tamil film, posted a now‑deleted Instagram clip on Monday showing him hugging a lar gibbon, a small ape whose numbers are dwindling across Southeast Asia.
The act attracted immediate scrutiny from Tamil Nadu’s forest department, which began tracing the animal’s journey to a private home in Chennai. Preliminary reports dismiss the notion that Vikram owns the gibbon or was involved in illicit trafficking, but investigators are still verifying whether the three legal thresholds for possession and transfer were met: a Directorate General of Foreign Trade permit, a no‑objection certificate, and a wildlife conservator’s approval.
Court documents reveal the gibbons were first transferred out of Manipur on 5 June 2025, a state that borders Myanmar and is a known corridor for wildlife smuggling. They were then moved to a person in Perundurai, Erode district, with the stated purpose of “adoption.” Two months later, the animals were again transferred to Vikram’s relative in Chennai. The chain of custody is still under review, and the number of animals involved has risen to eight, including four males and four females.
India’s federal Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has joined the inquiry, calling for confirmation of the gibbons’ documented permits and adherence to CITES regulations. The bureau’s Southern Zone Deputy Director warned that the animals, being CITES‑protected, must be handled under strict protocols to prevent illegal trade.
This controversy echoes broader concerns about the exotic‑animal market in India. Customs officials frequently intercept live snakes, birds, and primates arriving from Southeast Asia. Notably, in July 2025 350 exotic animals seized at Mumbai and Pune airports were all sourced from Bangkok, and Bengaluru customs officers recovered a gibbon among the confiscated list in November.
The investigation, still in progress, highlights the mounting challenges of enforcing wildlife protection laws amid a booming pet‑market demand. Official statements say the outcome will depend on whether the legal procedure for importing the lar gibbons was fully followed or if the animals were brought in illegally.
