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The ongoing controversy surrounding exotic animal trade in Tamil Nadu has intensified following official findings that one of three imported Lar Gibbons connected to actor Chiyaan Vikram’s recent social media post died without being reported to wildlife authorities. The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has launched an investigation into potential compliance lapses and the chain of custody governing the endangered primates.

Chiyaan Vikram's Viral Video Prompted Initial Investigation

The controversy first emerged after actor Vikram shared a video on Instagram showing him interacting with a Lar Gibbon. The clip spread quickly across social media platforms, drawing immediate attention from wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists who raised concerns about the domestic possession of protected exotic species. Shortly after public scrutiny mounted, the video was removed from the actor's social media accounts. However, the footage prompted the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to initiate a probe into how the animal was sourced and whether statutory registration requirements under Indian wildlife protection laws had been met.

Unreported Death and Transfer Lapses Deepen Inquiry

The investigation took a severe turn when forest officials tracked the acquisition history of the primates. Erode District Forest Officer Venkata Appala Naidu told The New Indian Express that a departmental team visited an Erode-based breeding farm and discovered only two surviving animals."On inquiry, the team was informed that one female gibbon had died," Naidu stated to The New Indian Express, noting that the breeder had failed to notify the department about the animal's death, age, or cause of mortality. Under the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, as well as Section 49M of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, any death of a registered Schedule IV exotic animal must be formally reported alongside a post-mortem report issued by a certified veterinary practitioner. Documents reveal that three Lar Gibbons one male and two females, were originally declared in Manipur in 2020 before being transferred to Erode breeder S.K. Keshavanathan in June 2026. A subsequent transfer form dated August 5 listed C.K. Ranganathan of Injambakkam, Chennai, as the transferee.   Following the public outcry over the viral video, the surviving pair was quietly relocated from Chennai back to Erode. Wildlife conservationists have raised questions regarding the legality of the interstate transfers and questioned why authorities have yet to formally seize the surviving animals while the chain of legal possession remains under review. Officials in Erode stated they are awaiting directives from state forest headquarters before taking further enforcement action.