Why did the Government of India enacted Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
The Government of India enacted Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 to effectively protect the wild life of the country and to control poaching, smuggling and illegal trade in wildlife and its derivatives.
What type of organisms are protected under Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
It provides for the protection of wild animals, birds, and plants .
What is the objective of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
The objective is to provide protection to the listed endangered flora and fauna and ecologically important protected areas.
What is the jurisdiction of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
It extends to the whole of India.
What is the subject matter which the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 deals with?
The Wild Life Act provides for state wildlife advisory boards, regulations for hunting wild animals and birds, establishment of sanctuaries and national parks, regulations for trade in wild animals, animal products and trophies, and judicially imposed penalties for violating the Act.
What type of protected areas can be declared under Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
It empowers the State to declare protected areas, under four categories- National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves and Conservation Reserves.
What are the important bodies which have been established under the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972?
Important bodies established under the act include:
1 . National Board for Wildlife
2 . National Tiger Conservation Authority
3 . Central Zoo Authority
How many schedules are in Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 amended in 2022?
There are four schedules in Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 amended in 2022:
Schedule I : Animal species that will enjoy the highest level of protection including those which are critically endangered.
Schedule II : Animal species that will be subject to a lesser degree of protection.
Schedule III : Protected Plant species.
Schedule IV : Specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES (scheduled specimens).
How many schedules were in Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 prior to the amendment in 2022?
It had six schedules which gave varying degrees of protection.
Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provided absolute protection – offences under these were prescribed the highest penalties.
Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV were also protected, but the penalties were much lower.
Schedule V included the animals which may be hunted.
The specified endemic plants in Schedule VI were prohibited from cultivation and planting.
Schedule V animals which may be hunted included –
Common crow , Little Indian field mouse , Spiny field mouse , House mouse , Long-tailed tree mouse , Lesser Bandicot rat , Large Bandicot rat , House rat , Brown rat , Himalayan rat ,Soft-furred field rat , Desert gerbil , Indian gerbil , White-bellied rat , Indian bush rat , Indian hairy-footed gerbil and Short-tailed mole rat
How many times the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 has been amended?
The Act has been amended several times and punishment and penalty for offences under the Act have been made more stringent.
The Law has been amended several times –
1 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 1982
2 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 1986
3 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 1991
4 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 1993
5 Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002
6 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 2008
7 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 2013
8 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 2021
9 Wild Life (Protection ) Amendment Act 2022
What are the major changes in Wild Life (Protection) amendment Act 2022?
New Chapter VB for implementation of CITES
Number of schedules from 6 to 4 by:
Reducing the number of schedules for specially protected animals from 4 to 2.
Inserting a new schedule for specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES (scheduled specimens).
Removing the schedule for vermin species.
Wild animals will be declared as Vermin by Central Government by the way of notification (any area
and for a specified period).
Increase in penalties
Exemptions for ‘live elephant’
Transfer or transport of live elephants allowed for a religious or any other purpose.
New section 42A for Surrender of captive animals
Any person having a certificate of ownership for captive animals or animal products, can voluntarily surrender them to the Chief Wildlife Warden.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
QUES . In India, if a species of tortoise is declared protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, what does it imply ?
(a) It enjoys the same level of protection as the tiger.
(b) It no longer exists in the wild, a few individuals are under captive protection; and now it is impossible to prevent its extinction.
(c) It is endemic to a particular region of India.
(d) Both (b) and (c) stated above are correct in this context.
(a)
QUES . According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions provided by law?
1 . Gharial
2 . Indian wild ass
3 . Wild buffalo
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
(d)
QUES . If a particular plant species is placed under Schedule VI of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, what is the implication? UPSC 2020
(a) A licence is required to cultivate that plant.
(b) Such a plant cannot be cultivated under any circumstances.
(c) It is a Genetically Modified crop plant.
(d) Such a plant is invasive and harmful to the ecosystem.
(a)
