Wildlife Protection Act of 1972’s Section 11 is under scrutiny as Kerala calls for amendments to tackle escalating human-animal conflicts within the state.
Demand for Amendment: Section 11 – Regulating Hunting
- The resolution primarily urges the Union Government to amend Section 11 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
- Section 11 of the 1972 Act governs the hunting of wild animals.
- Clause (1)(A) empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) of a state to permit hunting or killing of Schedule I (mammals) specified wild animals if deemed dangerous, disabled, or beyond recovery.
- Authority granted to the CWLW includes ordering the killing of such animals if tranquilization or relocation is impractical post-capture.
Objective of Amendment:
- Kerala urges the Union Government to revise Section 11, recognizing its inadequacy in effectively managing the surge in human-animal conflicts.
- Kerala wants to amend the Section 11 (1) (A) so as to devolve the above-mentioned powers of the CWLW to Chief Conservators of Forests (CCF) instead.
- According to the state, such an amendment would simplify procedures for dealing with wild animals posing a threat to human life, by enabling speedy and timely decisions to be taken at a more localised level.
Vermin Declaration for Wild Boars:
- Kerala wants the Centre to declare wild boar as vermin, as per section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
- The Union Government can notify any wild animal in Schedule II of the Act (which protects it from hunting), as vermin for a period of time in an area/state.
- An animal is declared as vermin when it poses threat to life and crops.
- Animals declared as vermin lose protection from hunting, enabling culling to safeguard life and livelihood.
- Kerala seeks vermin status for wild boars due to their threat to both humans and agriculture.
- Kerala emphasizes the destructive impact of wild boars on farmland, leading to economic losses and challenges in mitigation.
Escalating Crisis and Statistics:
Human-Animal Conflict in Kerala:
- Recent years witness a steady rise in human-animal conflicts, causing threats to life and significant damage to the agricultural sector.
- A critical incident involving a radio-collared wild elephant in Wayanad highlights the severity of the crisis.
Government Data (2022-23):
- Recorded 8,873 wild animal attacks, with elephants (4,193), wild boars (1,524), tigers (193), leopards (244), and bison (32) contributing.
- 98 reported deaths, with 27 attributed to elephant attacks.
- From 2017 to 2023, 20,957 incidents of crop loss occurred due to wild animal raids, causing the death of 1,559 domestic animals.
Ref: Source
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