Mumbai, March 20: Two foreign influencers, including Michael Holston, an American exotic animal specialist, are in a soup after a complaint was filed with the Maharashtra Forest Department against them for illegally handling protected snake species near Ghansoli in Navi Mumbai. The complaint, lodged by Mumbai-based wildlife enthusiast Anand Mohite, accuses the influencers - Michael Holston and Mickael Aparicio - of displaying hazardous snake handling on social media to gain followers, violating the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to the Mid-Day report, the incident occurred between March 14 and 15, when Holston, who has 13.1 million followers on Instagram, and Mickael Aparicio from Bali were allegedly seen handling an Indian spectacled cobra and an Indian rock python, both of which are protected under Indian wildlife laws.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Bestiality Case in Thane: Man Has Sex With Stray Dog in Wagle Estate in Maharashtra, Case Registered.

Video of Michael Holston Handling Indian Spectacled Cobra

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Micheal Holston Making Reel With슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Indian Spectacled Cobra

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Holston showcased his interaction with the snakes on his Instagram profile 슬롯사이트˜therealtarzann,슬롯사이트� while Aparicio performed free handling of the spectacled cobra. Mohite claims that local snake rescuers from Mumbai and Navi Mumbai were also involved, allegedly supplying the snakes for the influencers슬롯사이트� stunt.

In his complaint, Mohite emphasised the dangerous nature of such actions, stating that the influencers were exploiting wildlife for likes and views. "This is a stunt for social media attention, disregarding the safety of both the animals and the people involved," Mohite added. He further requested legal action against the duo and the local snake handlers who supplied the animals.슬롯 머신 사이트 추천Maharashtra Shocker: Pet Labrador and 8 Stray Dogs Found Dead After Allegedly Consuming Poisoned Biscuits in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Probe Launched.

The complaint has been submitted to both the Mangrove Cell of the Maharashtra Forest Department in Navi Mumbai and the Thane Forest Department. A forest department official confirmed that an investigation would be conducted and a preliminary offence report filed.

Pawan Sharma, Honorary Wildlife Warden of Thane and President of the NGO RAWW, condemned the influencers' actions. "Influencers must be responsible and realize that uploading unsafe and illegal content harms both wildlife and its conservation efforts. Such stunts encourage dangerous mimicry by the public, which could lead to accidents or even fatalities," the media outlet reported, quoting Sharma as saying.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 20, 2025 11:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).