With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements:Wild anim

Question

With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements:Wild animals are the sole property of the government.When a wild animal is declared protected, such animal is entitled for equal protection whether it is found in protected areas or outside.Apprehension of a protected wild animal becoming a danger to human life is sufficient ground for its capture or killing.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is correct: The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 mentions that every wild animal, other than vermin, which is hunted shall be the property of the State Government, and, where such animal is hunted in a sanctuary or National Park declared by the Central Government, such animal or any animal article shall be the property of the Central Government. In a significant verdict in 2012, the Bombay High Court has ruled that wild animals including tiger should be treated as government property for all purposes.Statement 2 is correct: The law governing the subject of wildlife, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, does not discriminate between animals found in protected areas and outside. It provides for equal protection for wild animals irrespective of where they are found. The WLPA prohibits people from hunting wildlife, provides legal safeguards for different species based on their threat status, regulates trade and commerce in wild species, imposes penalties for wildlife-related crimes and specifies the terms to declare protected areas.Statement 3 is not correct: Only if the wild animal becomes a danger to human life or is diseased or disabled beyond recovery can it be allowed to be captured or killed by the competent authority, the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State. This provision is applicable to wild animals listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which includes leopards. Mere apprehension or fear that a wild animal could endanger human life is not a ground for capture or killing.