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Kerala has requested an amendment to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to permit the controlled killing of wild animals that pose a threat to human life or agricultural livelihoods, citing a surge in human-wildlife conflict.

Key Concepts

Concept	Details
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972	Legal framework to protect wild animals, birds, plants, and habitats.
Schedule I species	Species granted highest protection, no hunting except in extreme cases.
Section 11	Allows killing if animal threatens human life and capture is not feasible.
Section 62	Govt can declare animals as vermin, permitting hunting for a limited time.

News Summary

• Kerala witnessed multiple casualties due to animal attacks between 2016 and 2025.
• The state seeks legislative changes to allow quicker action in wildlife conflicts.
• Current laws limit immediate intervention, especially for Schedule I species.
• Bonnet macaques, often dangerous, are currently under Schedule I protection.

Challenges with the Current Wildlife (Protection) Act

Challenge	Explanation
Stringent Protection	Schedule I species can’t be killed without layered permissions.
Delay in Response	District officials lack emergency powers to handle urgent wildlife threats.
Judicial Constraints	Courts have limited the powers of collectors in proactive action.
No Local Emergency Authority	Section 50 lacks clauses giving emergency powers to local forest or police officers.

Provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

Provision	Function
Section 9	General hunting prohibition for most protected species.
Section 11	Permits killing in extreme cases where life or health is at stake and other methods fail.
Section 62	Allows Centre to declare species as vermin (except Schedule I & II Part II) for a region.
Section 50	Empowers officials to seize hunting tools and evidence; no clause for emergency response.

Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022

Before Amendment	After Amendment
6 Schedules	Reduced to 4 for clarity: Schedule I (high), II (moderate), III (plants), IV (CITES species).

In a Nutshell Kerala’s plea for amendments underlines the need to balance conservation with human safety. Without emergency powers, local response remains delayed—raising calls for reform in how protected species are managed during conflict situations.

Prelims Practice Questions

1. Which of the following schedules under the WPA, 1972 included plants before the 2022 amendment?
   a) Schedule IV
   b) Schedule VI
   c) Schedule V
   d) Schedule III
2. Section 62 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 deals with:
   a) Captive breeding
   b) Declaring species as vermin
   c) Conservation reserves
   d) Creation of wildlife corridors
3. Which species listed under Schedule I of WPA, 1972 is at the centre of Kerala’s conflict plea?
   a) Bengal Tiger
   b) Bonnet Macaque
   c) Gaur
   d) Indian Elephant

Mains Practice Questions

1. Evaluate the implications of rigid wildlife protection laws on human safety and agricultural livelihoods. (10 marks)
2. Critically assess the balance between wildlife conservation and local community rights in India. (15 marks)

Answers for Prelims Questions

Q No.	Answer	Explanation
1	b	Schedule VI originally included plant species before the 2022 amendment.
2	b	Section 62 allows the Centre to declare species as vermin temporarily.
3	b	Bonnet Macaques are currently listed under Schedule I and are a concern in Kerala.