- Chiyaan Vikram shared a video with a Lar Gibbon, an endangered species protected by law
- The Lar Gibbon in the video is protected under CITES and India's Wildlife Protection Act
- Businessman CK Ranganathan is linked to the alleged illegal possession of the exotic animal
Chiyaan Vikram has come under heavy criticism after he shared a fun-filled moment with a large gibbon. While fans initially praised Vikram's adorable moment with the animal, it soon drew criticism after a journalist claimed it was illegal to keep a Lar Gibbon as a pet.
According to a report by the Free Press Journal, the video landed Vikram's daughter's father-in-law, businessman CK Ranganathan, in trouble over an alleged link to the trade of exotic animals. The larva gibbon in Vikram's video is an endangered species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and India's Wildlife Protection Act.
The report also claimed that Vikram had officially purchased the Lar Gibbon, which was brought from Manipur to Erode in Tamil Nadu in June. Although the video was deleted within 24 hours, wildlife activists have raised concerns about the legality of keeping an endangered animal as a pet without necessary documents.
The post sparked debate among social media users. “Laws in India often don't apply to the rich,” one wrote.
“Lol…man doesn't have movies and thought this would be fun to post, and now he is in trouble,” another commented.
“It was very clear; I was surprised by the video,” someone else added.
As per the report, the Chennai Wildlife Warden Yogen Kulala met Ranganathan at his home after Vikram deleted the video and informed him that an enquiry had been launched. CK Ranganathan is the founder-chairman of CavinKare. He is also the father of Manu Ranjith, who is married to Vikram's daughter Akshita.
The lar Gibbon is a wild animal native to Southeast Asia and is protected under international wildlife-trade regulations. In India, keeping this exotic animal is subject to specific legal provisions, such as rules governing possession, registration and transfer.
The larval gibbon is also listed under CITES Appendix I, which calls for strict controls on its international trade. Thus, keeping a Lar Gibbon in India can raise legal concerns. It depends, though, on whether the animal has been acquired, imported or kept without the required documentation and permissions.