Lar Gibbons case: Erode forest officials seek documents from farm owner
The Erode Forest Division has directed the owner of an animal breeding farm in Perundurai to produce the registration certificate and related documents for two Lar Gibbons (Hylobates lar) found at his facility during a joint inspection by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Chennai, and the Forest Department.
District Forest Officer K.V. Appala Naidu said the registration process for the animals was incomplete, and the owner, K. Keshavanathan, had been asked to submit the required papers on August 14. While he produced some documents, there were deficiencies. Among the documents sought is the registration certificate obtained from the Manipur-based owner from whom the animals were purchased, Mr. Naidu added.
The Forest Department has also sought details regarding the death of a female Lar Gibbon that was not reported to authorities. Reporting such an incident is mandatory under the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, he said.
The inspection followed a social media video posted by Tamil film actor Vikram, in which he was seen petting and hugging a Lar Gibbon. The video went viral and drew criticism from wildlife activists over the possession of an endangered species without the requisite documents. The actor later removed the video. The Lar Gibbon is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The inquiry revealed that industrialist C.K. Ranganathan of Erode had purchased two Lar Gibbons from the farm owner and moved them to Chennai. Mr. Ranganathan is the father-in-law of Mr. Vikram’s daughter. Further inquiry revealed that the farm owner had purchased the animals from Manipur and brought them to Perundurai.
Under the regulations governing exotic live species, an owner is required to register with the Forest Department, declare the stock in his possession, and report the acquisition of any new animal within 30 days. Only after the declaration is made will the facility be inspected by the Forest Department to verify compliance, following which a Form 3 Registration Certificate is issued.
The animals arrived at Perundurai on June 5, 2025. However, the owner applied for registration only on August 9, 2025, and transferred the animals to Chennai on the same day. “There was a delay of more than two months,” Mr. Naidu said.
The District Forest Officer said the registration process remained incomplete, and the Forest Department was examining the documents produced by the farm owner. Further action will be taken based on the findings of the ongoing inquiry.
