Wildlife laws in

India
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Pre-Independence Legislations

 The first Indian Forest Act enacted in The first Indian Forest Act
enacted in 1865
 The Madras Wild Elephant Preservation The Madras Wild Elephant
Preservation Act enacted in 1873: This was the first wildlife legislation
in Modern India wildlife legislation in Modern India
 The Elephant Preservation Act 1879
 The Indian Forest Law Act VII enacted in 1878
 The Indian Forest Act enacted in 1927
Post-Independence

 The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980

 Provides for the conservation of forests and for connected matters
 Amended substantially in 1988
 The Environment (Protection) Act 1986
 An Act to provide for the protection and improvement of the
Environment
The Wildlife (Protection Act 1972)

 The Wild Life Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India
enacted on 9th September, 1972
 It provides for protection of wild animals, birds and plants ; and for
matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto.
 It extends to whole of India, except Jammu and Kashmir.
 It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
Definitions under the Act

 Animal
 includes amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles

 Animal Article
 means any article made from any captive or wild animal

 Hunting
 includes capturing, killing, poisoning, trapping, injuring animals , birds or
reptiles
 Trophy
 means the whole or any part of any captive or wild animal which has
been kept or preserved by any means.

 Wildlife
 includes any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacean, fish and moths; and
aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat.
AUTHORITIES

 The Central Government may appoint

 A Director of Wild Life preservation.
 Assistant Directors of Wild Life preservation.
 Other officers and employees as may be necessary.
 The State Government may appoint
 A Chief Wild Life Warden.
 Wild Life Wardens including one Honorary Wild Life Warden in each
district
 Other officers and employees as may be necessary.
WILD LIFE ADVISORY BOARD

 The Act enforces and enables the State Governments and the
administrators of the union Territories to constitute a Wildlife Advisory
Board in each state and union territory.
 The Board advises the State Government in the following matters:
 Areas to be declared as sanctuaries, national parks or closed areas and
their administration.
 Formulation of policy for protection and conservation of wildlife.
 Amendment of any schedule.
 Harmonizing the need of tribals and dwellers of forest.
 Any other matter referred by the State Government.
HUNTING OF WILD ANIMALS

 Hunting of animals specified in Schedule I, II, III and IV is prohibited.

 Hunting of wild animals is permitted in certain cases:
 If the animal has become dangerous to human life or disabled beyond
recovery.
 Killing or wounding in good faith in defence of oneself or any other
person.
 Any wild animal killed or wounded in defence of any person shall be
Government property.
 Grant of permit for special purposes:
 Education.
 Scientific research, Scientific management.
 Collection of specimen for zoos, museums and similar institutions.
 Derivation, collection or preparation of snake-venom for manufacture
of life-saving drugs.
 Previous permission required of the Central Government for wild animals
specified in schedule I before grant of permit.
 For any other wild animals, previous permission of State Government
required before grant of permit.
PROTECTION OF SPECIFIED PLANTS

 No person shall:
 willfully pick, uproot, damage, destroy, acquire, or collect any specified
plant from any forest land and any specified area by Central
Government.
 possess, sell, offer for sale, or transfer by way to gift or otherwise, or
transport any specified plant whether alive or dead, or part or derivative
thereof.
 Member of scheduled tribe residing in that district are not prevented if it
is for their personal use
 Grants of permit for special purposes:
 Education.
 Scientific research.
 Collection, preservation and display in a herbarium of any scientific
institution.
 Propagation by a person or institution approved by Central
Government.
 Cultivation of specified plants without license is prohibited.
 Dealing in specified plants without license is prohibited.
 The purchase of specified plants is permitted only from licensed dealers.
SANCTUARIES, NATIONAL PARKS
AND CLOSED AREAS
 The State Government may, by notification, declare its intention to
constitute any area comprised within any reserve forest or the
territorial waters as a SANCTUARY if it considers that such area is of
adequate ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural or
zoological significance, for the purpose of protecting, propagating
or developing wild life or its environment.
NATIONAL PARKS

 Whenever it appears to the State Government that an area,

whether within a sanctuary or not, is, by reason of its ecological,
faunal, floral, geomorphological or zoological association or
importance, needed to be constituted as National Park for the
purpose of protecting, propogating or developing wild life therein or
its environment, it may, by notification, declare its intention to
constitute such area as a National Park.
CLOSED AREAS

 The State Government may, by notification, declare any area

closed to hunting for such period as may be specified in the
notification.
 No hunting of any wild animal shall be permitted in a closed area
during the period specified in the notification.
TRADE OR COMMERCE IN WILD ANIMALS,
ANIMAL ARTICLE AND TROPHIES
 No person shall :
 Commence or carry on the business as: Manufacturer, dealer,
taxidermist of scheduled animal or animal articles or trophies or
captive animals.
 Deal in meat derived from any schedule animal
PENALTIES

 Imprisonments varying from six months upto seven years and/or fine
ranging from ₹500 upto not less than ₹10,000 depending on the
nature or seriousness of the offence committed regarding the
specified wildlife.
 Forfeiture of Property Derived from Illegal Hunting and Trade or a
fine equal to the market value of such property in lieu or forfeiture.