Vikram video triggers probe into endangered Lar Gibbon possession

The Story in Brief

Tamil Nadu forest officials are investigating actor Vikram after a now-deleted social media video showed him cuddling an endangered Lar Gibbon, prompting scrutiny of their possession and movement. A preliminary inquiry found that one male and two female Lar Gibbons were allegedly transported from Manipur to Erode in early June and later moved to a farmhouse in Chennai. The National Herald reports that one female has died, and her death was not reported to the Forest Department as required under the Living Animal Species Rules, 2024. The two surviving primates may be seized.

Officials are examining the legality of the animals' acquisition, with businessman C K Ranganathan reportedly applying to purchase them in August 2026, approval still pending. The Lar Gibbons, classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List and not native to India, were allegedly brought from Malaysia via Manipur. Violations of the Wildlife Act could attract up to three years in prison. The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has joined the investigation.