The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was enacted by the Indian Parliament to protect wildlife species in India. It established schedules of protected plant and animal species and outlawed hunting or harvesting these species. It provides varying degrees of protection based on schedules, with the highest penalties for offenses related to Schedule I and II species. The Act defines key terms and outlines prohibited activities like hunting. It has since been amended several times to strengthen protections and penalties.

1. EVS- Social Issues and The Environment
From The Desk Of VISHWANATH.A Lecturer in Marchad Institute Of Management, Ballari Page 1
WILD LIFE PROTECTION ACT-1972
Citation: Act no.53 of 1972
Enacted by: Parliament of India
Date enacted: 9th
Sep 1972
 It was enacted by parliament if India, to provide for the protection of wild
animals, birds and for matters connected there with or ancillary or incidental
there to.[i.e. enacted for protection of plant and animal species.]
 Before 1972, India only had 5 designated National parks. Among other
reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plants & animal’s species;
hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed.
 The Act provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and for matters
connected there with or ancillary or incidental there to.
 It extends to the whole of India, except the state of Jammu & Kashmir which
has its own wild life act.
 It has 6 schedules which give varying degrees of protection.
 Schedule I & part II of schedule II provide absolute protection-offences, under
these are prescribed the highest penalties.
 Species listed in schedule III and schedule IV are also protected, but the
penalties are much lower.
 Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted.
 The plants in schedule VI are prescribed from cultivation and planting.
 The hunting to the enforcement authorities have the power to compound
offences under this schedule (i.e., they impose fines on the offenders)
 Up to April2010 these have been 16 convictions, under this act relating to the
death of tigers.

2. EVS- Social Issues and The Environment
From The Desk Of VISHWANATH.A Lecturer in Marchad Institute Of Management, Ballari Page 2
Definitions under the act; (Section 2):
Animal
Includes amphibians, birds, mammals, reptiles and their young and also
includes in the cases of birds and reptiles and their eggs.
Animal Article
Means an article made from any captive or wild animal; other than vermin,
and includes an article or object in which the whole or any part of such animal has
been used in an article made there from.
Hunting
a. Capturing, killing, poisoning, snaring or trapping any wild animal and every
attempt to do so.
b. Driving any wild animal for any of the purposes specified in sub clause
c. injuring, destroying or taking any body part of any such animal or in the case
of wild birds or reptiles, disturbing or damaging the eggs or nests of such birds
or reptiles.
Taxidermy
It means the curing, preparation or preservation of trophics.
Trophy
It means the whole or any part of any captive of wild animal (other than
Vermin) which has been kept or preserved by any means, weather artificial or
natural.
This includes;
a. Rugs, Skins and specimens of such animals mounted in whole or in part
of through taxidermy

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From The Desk Of VISHWANATH.A Lecturer in Marchad Institute Of Management, Ballari Page 3
b. Antlers, horns, rhinoceros horns, feathers, nail, tooth, musk, eggs and
nests.
Uncured Trophy
It means the whole or any part of the any captive animal (other than Vermin)
which has not undergone process of taxidermy. This includes a freshly killed wild
animal, ambergris musk and other animal products
Vermin
It means any wild animal specified in scheduled V
Wildlife
It includes any animal, bees, butterflies, crustacean’s, fish and moths, an
aquatic and land vegetations which forms part of any habitat.
Hunting (Section 9)
This section describes what constitutes hunting and the intent to hunt; hunting
of wild animal is prohibited.
Ownership (Section 40 and 42)
Regarding ownership issues and trade license
Penalties (Section 51)
Penalties are prescribed in section 51 enforcement can be performed by
agencies such as the forest department police, wild life crime control bureau(WCB),
customs and The Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI), charge sheets can be filed
directly by the forest department, other enforcement agencies often due to lack of
technical expertise hand over to the forest department
It also imposed some penalties under section 51of this act are as below:
1. A person misuses the license or permit should be punished for three years of
imprisonment and fine of Rs:25,000/- or Both

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From The Desk Of VISHWANATH.A Lecturer in Marchad Institute Of Management, Ballari Page 4
2. Trading of Endangered Animals and their products is punishable for seven
years imprisonment and fine of Rs:5,000/-
3. If offence is repeated time after time license can be cancelled.
Amendments:
Code has been amended several times
Sl
No
Titles No Year
1 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1982 - 1982
2 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1986 - 1986
3 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1991 - 1991
4 Wildlife Protection Amendment 1993 - 1993
5 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2002 - 2002
6 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2006 - 2006
7 Wildlife Protection Amendment 2013 - 2013
Following laws have been amended in the year 1986 and 1991:
According to this act the national park and sanctuaries are maintained by
center as well as state governments.
1. All India Elephant Preservation Act, 1879.
2. Wild birds and Animal Protection Act, 1912.
3. The Madras Wild Elephant Preservation Act, 1873
4. The Bengal Rhinoceros Protection Act, 1932