Vikram, a top star in Tamil cinema, posted a clip of himself hugging a lar gibbon on Instagram. The video was deleted within hours, but it sparked a large online response and, more importantly, a formal inquiry by wildlife officials.
The Tamil Nadu forest department has begun tracing how the gibbon appeared in Vikram’s private home. While no evidence has yet shown that the animal was trafficked, authorities are reviewing whether all necessary permits – including those required under India’s wildlife laws and the international CITES agreement – were obtained.
Records reveal that the gibbon originally came from Manipur, a northeastern state that borders Myanmar and is known to be on routes used by illegal wildlife trade. In June, three gibbons were supposedly transferred from Manipur to a person in Tamil Nadu; later, two were moved to Vikram’s relative in Chennai.
The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has also opened a probe, asking local officials to inspect documentation at each transfer point. The gibbon, protected under CITES, can only be handled as a legally registered animal.
This case comes amid a broader push in India to curb the illegal import of exotic animals, following recent seizures at airports involving reptiles, birds and primates. The outcome of Vikram’s investigation may set a precedent for how celebrity pets are regulated under wildlife protection laws.
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