Wildlife Bill presumes animal traps unlawful unless proven otherwise

This Bill amends the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 to strengthen wildlife conservation by prohibiting animal traps, regulating scientific research, and ensuring consultation with local Gram Sabhas when declaring protected areas in Scheduled Areas. It also establishes a Wild Life Crime Control Bureau and aligns Indian law with international conventions on trade in endangered species.

Who it concerns: The law affects any person (including firms, companies, and associations), the Central and State Governments, Chief Wild Life Wardens, the Central Zoo Authority, local Panchayats, Gram Sabhas, and individuals or entities involved in wildlife trade, research, or management of sanctuaries, national parks, and zoos.

What the bill does

• Prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, keeping, transport, or use of animal traps without prior written permission from the Chief Wild Life Warden for educational or scientific purposes.
• Requires persons possessing animal traps to declare them within 60 days of the Act's commencement; undeclared traps become State Government property.
• Mandates that the State Government must consult the Gram Sabha before declaring any area in Scheduled Areas as a sanctuary or national park.
• Establishes a Wild Life Crime Control Bureau consisting of senior officers from wildlife, police, forest, and customs departments.
• Inserts a new Chapter (Chapter VB) to regulate international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora in accordance with the CITES Convention.
• Allows the Chief Wild Life Warden to grant permits for scientific research, with a maximum processing time of 120 days.
• Amends definitions to include 'animal trap', 'Gram Sabha', 'Panchayat', and 'scientific research', and expands the definition of 'person' to include firms and companies.

Also in the document

• The Bill creates a presumption in prosecution that possession of an animal trap is unlawful unless proven otherwise.
• It allows for exceptional permission to use non-leg-hold animal traps for safeguarding agricultural crops and property of farmers.
• The Bill amends the heading of Chapter IVC from 'TIGER AND OTHER ENDANGERED SPECIES' to 'WILD LIFE'.
• It requires that live animals seized as government property be housed and cared for by a recognized zoo or rescue center if they cannot be released to the wild.