'It's illegal': Chiyaan Vikram faces backlash after posting video with pet Lar Gibbon

Chiyaan Vikram with his Lar Gibbon. Pics via X

Chiyaan Vikram recently took to social media to share a fun-filled moment with his pet, a Lar Gibbon. However, the video quickly went viral across platforms for the wrong reasons. While fans online initially praised the actor's adorable interaction with the animal, it soon changed after the post drew criticism. A journalist alleged that keeping a Lar Gibbon as a pet is illegal in the country. Soon, animal activists also took notice of the video and began raising concerns online.

Chiyaan Vikram slammed for video with pet Lar Gibbon

Journalist Siddarth Prabhakar shared Chiyaan's picture with the animal and claimed, "Actor Vikram and his sammandhi CK Ranganathan are in a big soup." He went on to add, "This monkey is a Lar Gibbon native to Indonesia. It's illegal to have it as a pet. It was trafficked from South-east Asia to Manipur to Erode and then to CK Ranganathan' place in Chennai."

He also alleged that the actor had deleted the post, saying, "Tamil Nadu wildlife department has initiated action. Actor Vikram deleted the Insta post today."

For the unversed, CK Ranganathan is the Founder Chairman of CavinKare. Additionally, he is also Vikram's daughter's father-in-law. When a user in the comments section asked, "Was it in CKR's farmhouse in ECR?" the journalist replied, "Yes."

The post soon sparked a debate among social media users. One user commented, "Laws in India often don't apply to the rich." Another user shared, "Indian Animal quarantine and control is a joke. That video of Boa constrictor pushed back into the apartment when it tried escaping? Non-Native species will destroy the entire native species if they are genetically superior. A ticking bomb. Silent culprits are aquarium aficionados."

Why is Lar Gibbon illegal in India?

The Lar Gibbon is a wild animal native to Southeast Asia. Notably, it is protected under international wildlife-trade regulations. In India, keeping such exotic wildlife is subject to specific legal provisions, such as rules governing possession, registration and transfer.

The Lar Gibbon is 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. However, it depends on whether the animal has been acquired, imported or kept without the required documentation and permissions.

On the work front, Chiyaan is gearing up to play a cook on Anand Shankar's upcoming action thriller.