Two ring-tailed lemurs stolen from Bangladesh’s Gazipur Safari Park have reportedly been trafficked to India, but their alleged presence at Vantara, a wildlife centre associated with the family of Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has not yet been scientifically confirmed.

The lemurs were among three stolen from the safari park in Gazipur in March 2025. Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has established that two of the animals were smuggled across the border into India, according to reports.

The case gained wider attention after photographs of two ring-tailed lemurs at Vantara in Gujarat circulated on social media. Bangladesh has sought international assistance, including through Interpol, to help trace and potentially repatriate the animals.

However, the CID has not confirmed that the two lemurs at Vantara are the same animals stolen from Gazipur. The absence of microchips, unique identification numbers and stored DNA profiles has made definitive identification difficult.

According to New Age, Vantara has rejected the allegation and said all animals in its care have documented provenance and were acquired in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The centre has also said it is willing to cooperate with authorities and allow DNA testing to establish the animals’ identities. 

Investigators said the three lemurs were stolen from their enclosure at the safari park in March last year. One of them was later recovered in Bangladesh, while the other two were allegedly moved through a trafficking network and taken to India.

Bangladesh investigators have arrested eight people in connection with the case. The CID has said several suspects gave confessional statements describing how the animals were removed from the park and transported across the border.

Reports said the animals changed hands several times before reaching Jamnagar in Gujarat, where they were allegedly sold for about 4.8 million Indian rupees to an institution linked to Vantara.

Vantara, however, has denied any involvement in the theft. It said none of the suspects identified in the Bangladesh investigation had any association with the centre and that its animals are maintained under Indian law and regulatory oversight. It has also asked its independent governing body to review the records of the two ring-tailed lemurs in its care.

The identification issue is now central to the case. Bangladeshi authorities are considering DNA profiling of the juvenile lemur that remained in the country to determine whether it can provide a genetic link to the two animals in India.

The animals were originally brought into Bangladesh in 2018 through Dhaka airport under a false customs declaration, according to investigators. They were subsequently rescued and transferred to the Gazipur Safari Park.

The alleged trafficking has also raised questions about security at the safari park. Three lemurs were reported stolen after the enclosure was breached, while concerns have previously been raised over security and surveillance at the facility.

Ring-tailed lemurs are native to Madagascar and face serious conservation threats. Their alleged cross-border trafficking has added to concerns over the illegal movement of wildlife in South Asia.

For now, the case remains unresolved. Bangladesh says two stolen lemurs were trafficked to India, while Vantara maintains that its animals were legally acquired. DNA testing and documentary verification are likely to determine whether the animals at Vantara are actually those stolen from Gazipur. 

BOB Post