Indian wildlife officials are investigating after Tamil actor Vikram posted, then deleted, a video showing him cuddling and playing with an endangered lar gibbon. The inquiry will determine how the animal came to be at a private home in Chennai and whether legal requirements for its possession or transfer were met; officials have not alleged trafficking or said Vikram owned or imported it.

The gibbon was reportedly kept by one of Vikram’s relatives, and authorities say private ownership can be lawful with the required permits and documentation. Investigators traced the animal to a 2020 declaration involving eight lar gibbons in Manipur, more than 2,000km away; the species is endangered and its international trade is tightly restricted under CITES.