Tamil Star’s Gibbon Video Triggers Wildlife Probe

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:04:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

An Instagram clip of Tamil actor Vikram cuddling an endangered lar gibbon has sparked a state‑wide investigation into animal trafficking and CITES compliance.

Veteran Tamil actor Vikram was filmed hugging a lar gibbon on Instagram, sparking a formal inquiry by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The gibbon’s chain of ownership winds from Manipur in the northeast to Chennai, with gaps in documented permits and transport. The incident highlights India’s struggle to enforce CITES rules on exotic pets and its broader crackdown on illegal wildlife trade routes. The investigation is ongoing, as officials dig into the gibbon’s origins, the legality of its transfer, and the compliance of related parties.

Veteran Tamil actor Vikram was photographed cuddling an endangered lar gibbon in a video posted to Instagram on Monday. The short clip was removed within hours, but it sparked a formal investigation by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, which began probing how the primate ended up at the actor’s relative’s house in Chennai.

Lar gibbons (Hylobates lar) are modestly sized apes native to Southeast Asia. They are listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and are protected by Indian wildlife law, which requires that owners register them with the forest department and obtain permits for transfer or sale.

According to the forest department, the gibbon was originally declared on the government portal PARIVESH in 2020 by a Manipur‑based individual, who listed Malaysia as its country of origin. The records show that between June and August, the animals moved from Manipur to a Tamil Nadu town and then to Vikram’s relative’s residence, but the necessary documentation proving lawful transfer at each stage has not yet been verified.

“We are investigating the exact origin of the lar gibbon and whether the relevant permits were in place when the animals entered Tamil Nadu,” Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra said. He added that the case could have implications for the larger problem of illegal wildlife trafficking on the India-Myanmar border.

India’s Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has joined the probe, requesting that officials in Chennai audit the chain of custody for the gibbon and assess whether exported and imported animal procedures were followed. The WCCB’s deputy director explained that gibbons are protected under CITES and that any breach could lead to criminal action.

The controversy has broadened into a wider scrutiny of the exotic animal trade in India, where recent seizures at Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru airports have uncovered dozens of reptiles, birds and primates smuggled from Southeast Asia. In July 2025, customs officials seized 350 exotic animals from Bangkok passengers, and in February the same were found at a flight to Chennai.

Vikram himself has not yet commented on the incident. His public‑relations officer, Yuvaraj, has stated that the actor will be contacted to provide a statement in due course.

As the investigation proceeds, observers are watching closely for signs of illegal procurement, potential trafficking routes, and the enforcement of wildlife protection laws—a reminder of the ongoing struggle to balance public fascination with endangered species against conservation imperatives.