Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

The Indian Wildlife Protection Act was implemented in 1972. It establishes a legislative framework for the protection of different wild animal and plant species as well as for the management of their habitats and control of the trading of wild animals, and plants.

It also regulates and controls the trade in those species’ components and in commodities made from those parts. The act also includes lists of plants and animals that are subject to various levels of governmental protection and regulation.

In this article, we will be covering The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. its History, Acts schedule, and many more.

Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

What is the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972?

The Wild Life Protection Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1972 to protect diverse plant and animal species. Prior to 1972, there were just five officially recognized national parks in India.

Other modifications enacted by the Act include the scheduling of protected plant species and the broad ban on hunting and harvesting of certain animal species.

The Act covers topics related to, incidental to, or pertinent to the preservation of wild animals, birds, and plants. It includes the whole of India.

History of Wildlife Protection Legislation in India

Following the widespread extinction of wildlife due to poaching, the British administration in India made changes to the efforts to save it. Important pieces of legislation, such as the Indian Forest Act of 1878, the Indian Fisheries Act of 1897, and the Wild Birds and Animals Protection Act of 1912, were introduced by the British government. The Wildlife Protection Act, India’s most comprehensive law for protecting wildlife, was only adopted in 1972.

The development of automobiles and long-range guns after India gained independence accelerated the demise of its fauna. Farmers were given unfettered access to firearms by the government in order to defend crops from wild animals, but this led to the widespread extinction of wildlife. In all regions of India, there was extensive wildlife loss between 1947 and 1951 as a result of poachers’ indiscriminate killing of wild animals.

As a result, in India, the cheetah went extinct in 1951. Additionally, prior to the introduction of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, there were only five national parks in the nation. To save India’s flora and animals, comprehensive legislation was thus urgently required.

Salient Features of Wildlife Protection Act

The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 comprises a number of essential components that combine to give it a thorough legal framework for the nation’s wildlife protection and conservation. The following are some of the act’s key components:

• The Act describes the duties of wildlife wardens and the procedures for establishing wildlife advisory boards.
• India was able to sign up because of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
• For the first time, a comprehensive list of the country’s threatened animals was produced.
• The Act established that it was illegal to hunt endangered species.
• The Act’s guidelines place limitations on the trading of scheduled animals.
• For the purchase, transfer, and possession of some wildlife species, the Act establishes license requirements.
• It makes it possible to establish national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.
• The Central Zoo Authority might be established thanks to its provisions.
• Six schedules with varying degrees of protection for diverse groups of flora and wildlife were established by the Act.
• In accordance with the guidelines of this Act, the National Board for Wildlife was established as a legislative organization.
• According to the Act, the National Tiger Conservation Authority was created.

Protected Areas under the Wildlife Protection Act

In India, the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 establishes National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Conservation Reserves as the three principal types of protected places. An overview of each category is given below:

• National Parks: Parks that are explicitly established and administered for the conservation of species and their ecosystems are known as national parks. Compared to other categories, they are better protected. Activities by humans that can harm the ecosystem are prohibited in these locations. The conservation of biodiversity, natural processes, and ecological integrity are the main priorities.
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Unlike national parks, which are regions set aside for the protection of wildlife, wildlife sanctuaries permit only a minimal amount of human activity. species sanctuaries may permit local community customs like grazing and the gathering of small amounts of forest produce as long as they don’t harm the species and their ecosystems.
• Conservation Reserves: Reserves for the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity are areas that are held by the government or by private people or groups. These regions have been designated specifically with the goal of protecting particular species, their habitats, or migratory pathways. Conservation reserves, in contrast to national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, permit more human activity as long as it doesn’t harm the environment.

The Wildlife Protection Act’s Schedules

The Wildlife Protection Act stipulates six schedules. The table below discusses them:

Schedule	Features
Schedule I	Includes critically endangered species like tigers, lions, elephants, and rhinoceros, providing them with the highest level of protection and stringent conservation measures.
Schedule II	Contains endangered species, such as crocodiles, blackbuck, and Great Indian Bustard, requiring special protection and conservation efforts.
Schedule III	Includes protected species, such as leopards, wild boars, and Indian gazelles, ensuring their conservation and regulating their hunting or trade.
Schedule IV	Rats and mice are among the Schedule IV species, which are considered vermin in particular regions and are huntable under certain circumstances.
Schedule V	Certain birds and other non-endangered or protected species are included in Schedule V’s list of animals that may be hunted with permission.
Schedule VI	It places limitations on the collection, cultivation, and commerce of specific plant species, particularly rare or endangered plants.

Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 1972

Since it was first passed in 1972, the Wildlife Protection Act of India, 1972, has undergone a number of revisions. The following are a few significant changes to the act:

Amendment	Features
Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 1991	Enhanced the regulations governing the conservation and protection of wildlife, and provided harsher punishments for offenses relating to the illicit trafficking of wildlife and its products.
Wildlife Protection Amendment Act 2002	Strengthened the act’s provisions and made provisions for the establishment of a new class of protected sites known as community reserves, which are maintained jointly by the government and local communities.
Wildlife Protection Amendment Act, 2006	Allowed for the establishment of conservation reserves, a new class of protected areas designated for the defense and preservation of species outside of protected areas.
Wildlife Protection Amendment Act, 2011	It further enhanced the provisions of the act relating to the protection and conservation of wildlife. It allowed for the establishment of a new kind of protected place known as community reserves, which are maintained by local communities in collaboration with the government.

FAQs on Wildlife Protection Act, 1972

1. What is the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972?

The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 is an act of legislation that attempts to preserve and protect wildlife in India. It imposes fines for such offenses and outlaws the hunting, poaching, and trafficking of endangered animals. The act also emphasizes the protection of wildlife and the environment.

2. How did Wildlife Protection Act came into force?

The Indian government passed the Wildlife Protection Act in 1972 in order to save and preserve the nation’s wildlife. Bill 2021, an amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act, was just introduced.

3. Which Section of the Wildlife Protection Act deals with the prohibition of hunting?

Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 deals with the prohibition of hunting. It states that – No person shall hunt any wild animal specified in Schedules I, II, III, and IV except as provided under Section 11 and Section 12.

4. What are the main features of Wildlife Protection Act 1972?

The Wildlife Protection Act 1972 includes provisions for declaring protected areas and empowers the government to take measures to conserve and protect wildlife. It also provides for the establishment of the Wildlife Advisory Board to advise the government on wildlife-related matters.