Mains Marathon

• Introduce briefly the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 and the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
• Analyse the features and objectives of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 and evaluate its impact on the conservation and management of wildlife.
• Conclude suitably.

Answer:

Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 which seeks to give effect to India's obligations under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ('CITES') was passed recently by amending Wildlife (Protection) Act (WPA), 1972. The WPA 1972 is the primary legislation for the conservation and protection of wildlife and their habitats. It provides for the establishment of protected areas, such as national parks, sanctuaries, conservation reserves, and community reserves. It also regulates the hunting, trade, and possession of wild animals and plants, and prescribes penalties for offences against wildlife.

Some of the main features and objectives of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 are:

• The Act empowers the Central Government to designate a Management Authority, which can grant or deny export or import permits for such specimens.
  • The Act also provides for the registration of persons possessing live specimens of scheduled animals and allows for their voluntary surrender without any compensation.
• To rationalize the schedules that list out the species under the Act, based on their conservation status and threat levels.
  • The Act reduces the number of schedules from six to four, and removes the schedule for vermin species, which are animals that can be hunted or killed without any permission.
    • Schedule I containing animal species enjoying the highest level of protection.
    • Schedule II for animal species subject to a lesser degree of protection.
    • Schedule III for protected plant species, and
    • Schedule IV for scheduled specimens under CITES.
• To enhance the protection and management of protected areas, by empowering the Chief Wildlife Warden to control, manage, and maintain all sanctuaries in a state.
• To allow for commercial trade in live elephants, which was prohibited under the previous Act. The Act permits the export or import of live elephants with a certificate from the Management Authority, subject to certain conditions and restrictions.

The impact of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 on the conservation and management of wildlife:

• The Act can be seen as a progressive step towards aligning India’s wildlife laws with international standards and best practices.
  • Enhancing the legal protection of endangered species and habitats;
  • Addressing emerging threats such as invasive alien species and climate change;
  • Improving the governance and administration of protected areas; and
  • Promoting public participation and awareness in wildlife conservation.

The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 is a significant legislation that aims to strengthen the conservation and management of wildlife. However, it also poses some challenges in its implementation to achieve its wildlife conservation goals. Therefore, it is imperative that we adopt a holistic, participatory, and adaptive approach to implement the Act effectively and efficiently.