Kerala Seeks to Amend Wildlife Protection Act

Mains – (GS3) Policy responses to biodiversity threats and human–wildlife conflict.

Why in news?

Recently, Kerala has urged the Centre to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 to allow selective culling of wild animals entering human habitats due to rising human-wildlife conflicts, crop damage, and ineffective current control measures.

Why does Kerala want to amend the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972?

• Demand for limited culling powers – Kerala seeks the Centre’s approval to kill wild animals that pose a threat to human lives or crops, particularly in conflict-prone areas.
• The state proposes region- and season-specific exemptions rather than blanket culling.
• Wild boars to be declared vermin – Under Section 62 of the Act, Kerala wants wild boars declared vermin for a temporary period.

Once a species is declared “vermin”, the species loses all legal protection, allowing unrestricted hunting.

• This would allow easier elimination without requiring full wildlife protections during that window.
• Removal of bonnet macaque from schedule i – The bonnet macaque was moved to Schedule I in 2022, limiting the state's power to act.
• Kerala now wants it downgraded, allowing capture or relocation of crop-damaging monkeys without central clearance.
• Failures of current control mechanisms – Kerala’s wild boar control scheme, which requires use of licensed shooters, has failed.
• Regulations such as checking whether a wild boar is pregnant before shooting are considered impractical by state officials.
• Ineffectiveness of fencing and deterrents – Despite using fencing, trenches, and other barriers, animals continue to invade human settlements, especially during crop seasons.

What is the scale and impact of the human-wildlife conflict in Kerala?

• Rising human casualties – Between 2016–17 and January 2025, 919 deaths and 8,967 injuries occurred due to wildlife attacks in Kerala.
• This illustrates a severe threat to public safety.
• Conflict hotspots identified – Out of 941 local bodies, 273 have been designated human-wildlife conflict hotspots.
• These are mainly in forested or fringe areas.
• Range of problematic species – Key animals responsible for conflict include elephants, tigers, leopards, wild boars, bison, bonnet macaques, and peafowl.
  • Elephants and big cats are life-threatening.
  • Monkeys and peafowl, while not deadly, cause economic loss by destroying crops.
• Agricultural abandonment – Repeated raids by monkeys and wild pigs have led farmers to abandon cultivation in some areas, impacting rural livelihoods and food security.

What are the causes of rising human-wildlife conflict in Kerala?

• Habitat degradation – Deforestation and declining habitat quality are forcing wild animals to move into human-inhabited zones, escalating conflict.
• Increased wildlife populations – There has been a population boom in certain species, especially wild boars and monkeys, leading to frequent raids into villages.
• Grazing pressure from domestic animals – Grazing of livestock inside forests competes with wildlife for resources and increases chances of direct encounters.
• Cropping pattern shifts – Farmers are growing commercial and fruit crops that attract wildlife, such as bananas and jackfruit, making farmlands more vulnerable.
• Legal and bureaucratic constraints – The Wildlife Act requires detailed justification before any animal can be killed. Even in emergencies, wildlife wardens must prove that capture or relocation is impossible.
• Courts have also barred district magistrates from invoking general nuisance laws to eliminate wild animals.

What lies ahead?

• Union Government could consider amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, especially regarding emergency culling provisions for specific species.
• Bonnet macaques might be removed from Schedule I, and wild boars temporarily declared vermin under Section 62, allowing more flexible local control measures.
• It could set a precedent for other human-wildlife conflict-prone states to demand similar legal relaxations.
• Crafting a framework that allows limited culling without weakening wildlife protection laws or conservation ethics.

Reference

The Hindu| Kerala wants Wildlife Act amend to kill some wild animals