Vantara Under Spotlight as Two Critically Endangered Lemurs Allegedly Smuggled From Bangladesh Are Reportedly Traced to Gujarat
GUWAHATI, September 9, 2026: A year after three ring-tailed lemurs were reportedly stolen from Bangladesh’s Gazipur Safari Park, the case has taken an international turn. Two of the critically endangered animals are now reportedly believed to have been traced to Vantara, a wildlife conservation and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat.
Bangladesh has reportedly sought assistance from Interpol as investigators work to determine whether the two lemurs seen at the Gujarat facility are the same animals that disappeared from Gazipur Safari Park in March 2025.
The case has attracted attention not only because of the alleged cross-border movement of the animals, but also because of the difficulties investigators are facing in proving their identities. The missing lemurs reportedly did not have microchips, individual identification numbers or preserved DNA records, making definitive identification more complicated.
Three lemurs disappeared from Gazipur Safari Park
According to the investigation by Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), three ring-tailed lemurs were allegedly stolen from Gazipur Safari Park during the early hours of March 23, 2025.
Investigators believe the animals were subsequently moved through a network involving several people in Bangladesh and India. Two of the three lemurs were reportedly taken across the Bangladesh-India border through the Darshana area of Chuadanga before being moved through different locations.
The trail eventually led investigators towards Jamnagar in Gujarat, where the animals were reportedly linked to Vantara.
The development came to light after photographs of two ring-tailed lemurs at Vantara appeared on social media. Bangladeshi investigators reportedly noticed similarities between the animals in those photographs and images of the lemurs that had gone missing from Gazipur Safari Park.
While the photographs raised suspicions and provided investigators with a possible lead, authorities still need stronger scientific evidence before confirming that the animals are the same ones stolen from Bangladesh.
Investigation points to an alleged trafficking network
The CID investigation has reportedly identified several individuals allegedly connected with the theft and subsequent movement of the animals.
According to investigators, wildlife trafficker Jewel allegedly carried out the theft with the assistance of Nippen Mahmud, a security guard employed at the safari park through an outsourced arrangement.
The investigation reportedly found that after being taken from the safari park, the lemurs were kept at a private residence. Photographs and videos of the animals were allegedly recorded there and circulated to potential buyers in India.
Investigators have also reportedly identified individuals known as Bablu, from Kolkata, and Shiplu, from Mumbai, who allegedly travelled to Bangladesh in May 2025 in connection with the transaction.
Other people, including Delwar and Tapan, were also reportedly involved in coordinating communications and arrangements within Bangladesh.
Statements collected during the investigation allegedly indicate that negotiations took place over the sale of the lemurs. According to the reported investigation findings, one adult lemur and one juvenile were valued at around Tk 1.7 million, while another juvenile was allegedly valued at approximately Tk 300,000.
Alleged route from Bangladesh to Gujarat
The CID’s investigation reportedly suggests that two of the stolen lemurs were taken across the Bangladesh-India border through the Darshana area with the assistance of a local intermediary.
After entering India, the animals allegedly changed hands several times before eventually reaching Gujarat.
Investigators have reportedly estimated that Indian buyers paid around Rs 48 lakh for the two animals.
The alleged transactions, movement of the animals and involvement of intermediaries are now part of the wider investigation into what authorities suspect was an international wildlife trafficking operation.
However, the precise chain of custody and the identities of everyone allegedly involved remain matters for investigators to establish.
Social media photographs provided a crucial lead
In an unusual twist, photographs circulating on social media reportedly helped investigators identify a possible connection between the missing animals and Vantara.
When Bangladeshi investigators came across images of two ring-tailed lemurs at the Gujarat facility, they reportedly compared them with photographs and other available information relating to the animals that disappeared from Gazipur Safari Park.
The physical similarities reportedly prompted investigators to pursue the Gujarat connection.
But resemblance alone cannot establish an animal’s identity with certainty.
This is where the investigation faces one of its biggest challenges.
Lack of identification records creates a major hurdle
According to the reported findings, the lemurs at Gazipur Safari Park did not have individual microchips or registration numbers. Their DNA profiles had also reportedly not been preserved.
For wildlife investigators, such records can be extremely important. A microchip or unique identification number can establish an animal’s identity, while a preserved DNA profile can provide much stronger scientific evidence in cases involving theft, illegal trade or cross-border movement.
In this case, the absence of such records means investigators cannot simply compare a microchip number or existing DNA sample to confirm the animals’ identities.
Instead, authorities are reportedly examining photographs, documentary records, witness statements and other evidence while exploring the possibility of DNA testing.
Bangladesh turns to Interpol
With questions surrounding the identity and possible origin of the two lemurs still unresolved, Bangladesh has reportedly approached Interpol for assistance.
The international police cooperation channel could help authorities coordinate with agencies in India and examine the alleged cross-border movement of the animals.
Bangladeshi investigators are also reportedly considering DNA testing as a possible way to strengthen their case.
One potential avenue is to obtain a genetic profile from the juvenile lemur that remains in Bangladesh. If DNA testing shows that the animal is biologically related to the two lemurs in Gujarat, it could provide significant evidence supporting the investigators’ theory.
However, until such testing is completed and the results are properly assessed, the identity of the two lemurs in Gujarat remains a matter under investigation.
The lemurs have a long history in Bangladesh
The story of the animals began several years before their reported disappearance.
According to the investigation, the lemurs were brought into Bangladesh in August 2018 through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. They were allegedly declared to customs as birds and were later transferred to Gazipur Safari Park after being seized.
The animals subsequently bred at the safari park and produced two offspring.
Following the death of the male, the female and two juveniles reportedly remained at the facility. Three animals from this group were later reported stolen in March 2025.
The CID has reportedly named eight people in connection with the theft and trafficking case. Six of those accused are said to have made confessional statements before a court.
Investigators have also reportedly identified a Dhaka-based customs clearing company, ASHA Enterprise, as the importer and are examining the roles of different intermediaries who allegedly helped facilitate the animals’ movement.
Wildlife experts stress the importance of DNA and microchips
The case has also brought attention to a wider problem in wildlife conservation: simply housing endangered animals in protected facilities is not enough. Authorities also need reliable systems to establish and track the identity of every individual animal.
Wildlife and zoo expert Md Reza Khan reportedly emphasised the importance of giving rare and endangered animals individual identification numbers and preserving their DNA profiles when they are brought into zoos, sanctuaries and other conservation facilities.
Such records can become invaluable when an animal is stolen, illegally traded or moved across international borders.
Experts have also called for stronger surveillance along international borders, including wider use of CCTV and modern monitoring technology to identify suspicious movements and prevent wildlife trafficking.
Greater coordination between forest departments, police, intelligence agencies and other enforcement bodies has also been highlighted as an important part of tackling organised wildlife trafficking.
Ring-tailed lemurs are already under severe threat
The case is particularly concerning because ring-tailed lemurs are not ordinary captive animals. The species is native to Madagascar and is recognisable for its distinctive black-and-white striped tail.
The ring-tailed lemur is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is included in Appendix I of CITES, meaning international commercial trade in the species is subject to strict controls.
Any illegal movement of such animals across international borders therefore raises serious conservation concerns.
For Bangladeshi authorities, the immediate task is to establish whether the two lemurs reportedly located at Vantara are indeed the animals stolen from Gazipur Safari Park.
That question may ultimately depend on scientific evidence, particularly DNA testing, because the animals reportedly lacked microchips and individual identification records.
A case that highlights the need for stronger wildlife protection
The investigation has evolved from a reported theft at a safari park in Bangladesh into a potential international wildlife trafficking case involving multiple jurisdictions.
If the two lemurs in Gujarat are conclusively established to be the animals stolen from Gazipur, authorities would then have to determine the appropriate legal and international procedures for their possible repatriation.
Regardless of the final outcome, the case has highlighted an important lesson for wildlife conservation agencies around the world.
Protecting endangered animals requires more than secure enclosures and regular monitoring. Individual identification, DNA preservation, accurate documentation, border surveillance and cooperation between countries are all essential to ensure that rare animals cannot simply disappear into illegal trade networks.
For now, investigators continue to work on establishing the truth behind the two lemurs reportedly traced to Gujarat. The involvement of Interpol and the possibility of DNA testing could prove crucial in determining whether the animals are the same ones that vanished from Gazipur Safari Park—and in deciding what happens to them next.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
