Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022 (Special)
- Category
Polity & Governance
- Published
16th Dec, 2022
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Context
The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022, which seeks to strengthen the protection of endangered species and enhance punishment for illegal wildlife trade, has been passed in Rajya Sabha by a voice vote.
Background
Wildlife Protection Act 1972:
Schedules in WPA, 1972:
It has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
- Schedule I and part II of Schedule II: Absolute protection – offenses under these are prescribed the highest penalties.
- Schedule III and Schedule IV: Species are protected, but the penalties are much lower.
- Schedule V: Animals (e.g. common crows, fruit bats, rats, and mice), are legally considered vermin and may be hunted freely.
- Schedule VI: Specified endemic plants are prohibited from cultivation and planting.
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- The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, attempts to amend the Wildlife (Protection Act (WLPA), 1972.
- Wildlife Act 1972 preserves the country’s wild animals, birds, and plants in order to ensure ecological and environmental security.
- This act has laid down restrictions on hunting various kinds of animal species.
- It also includes provisions related to harvesting and various other ancillary matters connected thereto.
What is the need for Amendment?
- Threat of blacklisting: India has been blacklisted by CITES once before, and if a second blacklisting were to happen — then India will no longer be able to trade in important plant specimens. This would affect the livelihood of a large section of Indian society that relies heavily on this trade.
- Ambiguous listing: The rationalization needed to be done because there were many discrepancies in the schedules and they were also ambiguous.
- Non-uniform listing: Some species were listed under English names, others under scientific names, some under families, and others under orders.
- Issues in implementation: Such a categorization was very confusing for wildlife and forest officials on the ground to implement.
- Constant threats to wildlife
- Illegal Wildlife Trade
- Habitat Destruction
- Human-animal conflict
- Invasive Species
- Climate Change, Pollution
Key provisions of the new Bill:
There were 50 amendments to the Act proposed in the Bill.
- The words "protection of wild animals, birds, and plants", mentioned under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 have been substituted with the words "conservation, protection and management of wildlife”.

- Rationalising schedules:
- Currently, the Act has six schedules for specially protected plants (one), specially protected animals (four), and vermin species (one).
- Bill reduces it to four by:
- Reducing the number of schedules for specially protected animals to two (one for greater protection level)
- Removes the schedule for vermin species
- Inserts a new schedule for specimens listed in the Appendices under CITES (scheduled specimens).
- Obligations under CITES: The Bill authorizes the central government to designate
- Management Authority: which grants export or import permits for the trade of specimens, and
- Scientific Authority: This gives advice on aspects related to the impact on the survival of the specimens being traded.
- It prohibits any person from modifying or removing the identification mark of the specimen.
- Every person possessing live specimens of scheduled animals must obtain a registration certificate from the Management Authority.
- Invasive alien species:
- It empowers the central government to regulate or prohibit the import, trade, possession, or proliferation of invasive alien species.
- Control of sanctuaries: The Present Act entrusts the Chief Wildlife Warden to control, manage and maintain all sanctuaries in a state.
- The Chief Wildlife Warden has been appointed by the state government.
- The Bill specifies that the actions of the Chief Warden must be in accordance with the management plans for the sanctuary.
- These plans will be prepared as per the guidelines of the central government, and as approved by the Chief Warden.
- Conservation reserves:
- Under the Act, state governments may declare areas adjacent to national parks and sanctuaries as a conservation reserve, for protecting flora and fauna, and their habitat.
- The Bill empowers the central government to also notify a conservation reserve.
- Surrender of captive animals:
- The Bill provides for any person to voluntarily surrender any captive animals or animal products to the Chief Wildlife Warden.
- No compensation will be paid to the person for surrendering such items. The surrendered items become the property of the state government.
- Penalties: Bill has increased the fines for violating the provisions of the Act.