THE INDIAN WILDLIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972

(with Amendments in 1993 and 2002)

CHAPTER I – Preliminary

1. Short title, extent, and commencement

2. Definitions

(1) "animal" includes mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, other chordates and invertebrates and also includes their young and eggs;

(2) "animal article" means an article made from any captive animal 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 and ivory imported into India and an article made therefrom].

(4) "Board means the Wildlife Advisory Board constituted under subsection (1) of Sec. 6;

(5) "captive animal" means any animal, specified in Schedule 1, Schedule II, Schedule III or Schedule IV, which is captured or kept or bred in captivity;

(7) "Chief Wildlife Warden" means the person appointed as such under C1. (a) of sub-section (1) of Sec.4;

[(7A) "Circus" means an establishment, whether stationary or mobile where animals are kept or used wholly or mainly for the purpose of performing tricks or manoeuvers;]

(8) "closed area" means the area which is declared under sub-section (1) of Sec.37 to be closed to hunting;

(9) "Collector" means the Chief Officer in charge of the revenue administration of a district;

(11) "dealer" in relation to any captive animal, animal article, trophy, uncured trophy, meat or specified plant, means a person, who carries on the business of buying or selling any such animal or article, and includes a person who undertakes business in any single transaction;

(12) "Director" means the person appointed as Director of Wildlife Preservation under sub-sec (1) of Sec. 3;

(15) "habitat" includes land, water, or vegetation which is the natural home of any wild animal;

(16) "hunting", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, includes,

(a) capturing, killing, poisoning, snaring, and trapping or any wild animal and every attempt to do so,

(b) driving any wild animal for any of purposes specified in sub clause

(c) injuring or destroying or taking any part of the body of any such animal, or in the case of wild birds or reptiles, damaging the eggs of such birds or reptiles, or disturbing the eggs or nests of such birds or reptiles;

(20) "meat" includes blood, bones, sinew, eggs, fat and flesh, whether raw or cooked, of any wild animal other than vermin;

(21) "National Park" means an area declared, whether under sec.35. or sec.38 or deemed, under sub-section (3) of sec.66. to be declared, as a National Park

[(25A)"recognised zoo" means a zoo recognised under section 38H;

(25B) "reserve forest" means the forest declared to be reserved by the State Government under sec.20. of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 (16 of 1927);* ]

(26) "sanctuary" means an area declared, whether under sec. [26(A)5] or sec 38, or deemed, under sub section (3) of Sec.66 to be declared, as a wildlife sanctuary;

(27) "specified plant "means any plant specified in Schedule VI;

(28) "special game" means any animal specified in Sec.II;

(30) "taxidermy", with its grammatical variations and cognate expressions, means the curing, preparation or preservation of trophies;

(31) "trophy" means the whole or any part of any captive animal or wild animal, other than vermin, which has been kept or preserved by any means, whether artificial or natural, and includes,

(a) rugs, skins, and specimens of such animals mounted in whole or in part through a process of taxidermy,

(b) antler, horn, rhinoceros horn, feather, nail, tooth, musk, eggs, and nests;

(32) "uncured trophy" means the whole or any part of any captive animal, other than vermin, which has not undergone a process of taxidermy, and includes a [freshly killed wild animal ambergris, musk and other animal products ];

(34) "vermin" means any wild animal specified in Sch.V;

(35) "weapon" includes ammunition, bows and arrows, explosives, firearms, hooks, knives, nets, poison, snares, traps, and any instrument or apparatus capable of anaesthetizing, decoying, destroying, injuring or killing an animal;

(36) "wild animal" means any animal found wild in nature and includes any animal specified in Schedule I, Schedule II, Schedule, IV or Schedule V, wherever found;

(37) "wildlife" includes any animal, bees butterflies, crustacean, fish and moths; and aquatic or land vegetation which forms part of any habitat;

(38) "Wildlife Warden" means the person appointed as such under C1. (b) of sub-section (1) of Sec.4;

[(39) "zoo" means an establishment, whether stationary or mobile, where captive animals are kept for exhibition to the public but does not include a circus and an establishment of a licenced dealer in captive animals.]

CHAPTER II - Authorities to be appointed or constituted under this Act

3. Appointment of Director and other officers

4. Appointment of Chief Wildlife Warden and other officers

5. Power to delegate

6. Constitution of the Wildlife Advisory Board : The State Govt. shall, constitute a Wildlife Advisory Board

7. Procedure to be followed by the Board

8. Duties of the Wildlife Advisory Board

CHAPTER III - Hunting of Wild Animals

9. Prohibition of Hunting : No person shall hunt any wild animal specified in Schedule, I, II, III and IV except as provided under section 11 and section 12

10. Maintenance of records of wild animals killed or captured

11. Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases

12. Grant of permit for special purposes

13. Suspension or cancellation of licence

CHAPTER-IIIA - Protection of Specified Plants

17A Prohibition of picking, uprooting. etc., of specified plants

17B Grant of permit for special purposes

17C Cultivation of specified plants without licence prohibited

17D Dealing in specified plants without licence prohibited

17E Declaration of stock

17F Possession, etc., of plants by licensee

17G Purchase etc., of specified plants

17H Plants to be Government property

CHAPTER-IV - Sanctuaries, National Parks and Closed Areas

Sanctuaries

18. Declaration of Sanctuary

18A. Protection to Sanctuaries

18B. Appointment of Collector

19. Collector to determine rights

20. Bar of accrual of rights

21. Proclamation by Collector

22. Inquiry by Collector

23. Powers of Collector

24. Acquisition of rights

25. Acquisition proceedings

26. Delegation of Collector's powers

26A Declaration of area as Sanctuary

27. Restriction on entry in sanctuary

28. Grant of permit

29. Destruction, etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without a permit

30. Causing fire prohibited

31. Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon

32. Ban on use of injurious substances

33. Control of sanctuaries

33A Immunization of live stock

34. Registration of certain persons in possession of arms

National Parks

35. Declaration of National Parks

36A. Declaration and Management of a Conservation Reserve

36B. Conservation Reserve Management Committee

36C. Declaration and Management of Community Reserve

36D. Community Reserve Management Committee

Sanctuaries or National Parks declared by Central Government

38. Power of Central Government to declare areas as Sanctuaries or National Parks

CHAPTER IVA - Central Zoo Authority and Recognition of Zoos

38A Constitution of Central Zoo Authority

38B Term of office and condition of service of chairperson and members etc.

38C Functions of the Authority

38D Procedure to be regulated by the Authority

38E Grants and loans to Authority and constitution of Fund

38F Annual report

38G Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament

38H Recognition of Zoos

38I Acquisition of animals by a Zoo

38J Prohibition of teasing, etc. in a Zoo

CHAPTER V - Trade or Commerce in Wild Animals, Animal Articles and Trophies

39. Wild animals, etc., to be Government property

40. Declarations

40A. Immunity in certain cases

41. Inquiry and preparation of inventories

42. Certificate of ownership

43. Regulation of transfer of animal etc.

44. Dealings in trophy and animal articles without licence prohibited

45. Suspension or cancellation of licences

46. Appeal

47. Maintenance of records

48. Purchase of animal, etc. by licensee

48A Restriction on transportation of Wildlife

49. Purchase of captive animal, etc. by a person other than a licensee

CHAPTER V A - Prohibition of trade or commerce in trophies, animal articles, etc. derived from certain animals.

49A Definitions : "scheduled animal" means an animal specified in Schedule I or Part II of Schedule II

49B Prohibition of dealing in trophies, animal articles, etc. derived from Scheduled animals

49C Declaration by dealers

CHAPTER VI - Prevention and detection of offences

50. Power of entry, search, arrest and detention

51. Penalties

51A. Certain Condition to apply while granting bail

52. Attempts and abetment

53. Punishment for wrongful seizure

54. Power to compound offences

55. Cognizance of offences

56. Operation of other laws not barred

57. Presumption to be made in certain cases

58. Offences by companies

CHAPTER VI A - Forfeiture of property derived from illegal hunting and trade

58A. Forfeiture

CHAPTER VII - Miscellaneous

59. Officers to be public servants

60. Protection of action taken in good faith

60A Reward to persons

60B. Reward by State Government

61. Power to alter entries in Schedules

62. Declaration of certain wild animals to be vermin

63. Power of Central Government to make rules

64. Power of State Government to make rules

65. Rights of Scheduled Tribes to be protected

66. Repeal and Savings

SCHEDULE – I : Rare and endangered species which are totally protected

Part I - Mammals

1 Andaman wild pig (Sus andamanensis)

1A. Bharal (Ovis nahura)

1B. Binturong (Arctictis binturong)

2. Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)

3. Brown-antlered deer or thamin (Cervus eldi)

3A. Himalayan brown bear (Ursus arctos)

3B. Capped langur (Presbytis pileatus)

4. Caracal (Felis caracal)

4A. Catacean specils

5. Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

5A. Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla)

5B. Chinkara or Indian gazelle (Gazella gazella bennetti)

6. Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)

6A. Crab-eating macaque (Macaca irus umbrosa)

6B. Desert cat (Felis Libyca)

6C. Desert fox (Vulpes bucopus)

7. Dugong (Dugong dugong)

7A. Ermine (Mustela erminea

8. Fishing cat (Felis viverrina)

8A. Four-horned antelope (Tetraceros quadricorins)

8D. Ermine (Mustela erminea

8E. Gaur or Indian bison (Bos gaurus)

9. Golden cat (Felis termmincki)

10. Golden lungur (Presbytis geei)

10A. Giant squirrel (Ratufa macroura)

10B. Himalayan ibex (Capra ibex)

10C. Himalayan tahr (Hermitragus jemlahicus)

11. Hispid hare (caprolagus hispidus)

11A. Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris)

12. Hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock)

12B. Indian elephant (Elephas maximus)

13. India Lion (Panthera leo persica)

14. Indian wolf ass (Equus hemionous Khur)

15. Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)

16. Kashmir stag (cervus elaphus hanglu)

16 A. Leaf monkey (Presbytis phayrei)

16 B. Leopard cat (Felis bengalensis)

17. Leopard cat (Felis benegalensis)

18. Lessor or red panda (Ailurus fulgens)

19. Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)

20. Loris (Loris tardigradus)

20A. Little Indian porpoise (Neomeris

21. Lynx (Felis lynx isabellinus)

22. Malabar civet (Viverra megaspila)

22A. Malay or sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)

23. Marbled cat (Felis marmorata)

24. Markhor (Capra falconeri)

24A. Mouse deer (Tragulus meminna)

25. Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)

25A. Nilgiri langur (Presbytis johni)

25B. Nilgiri tahr (Hemitragus hylocrius)

26. Nayan or great Tibetan sheep (Ovis ammon hodgsoni)

27. Pallas cat (Felis manul)

28. Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)

29. Pygmy hog (Sus salvanius)

29A. Ratel (Mellivora capensis)

30. Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis)

31. Rusty-spotted cat (Felis rubiginosa)

31A. Serow (Cparicorns sumatraensis)

31B. Clawless otter (Aonyx cinerea)

31C. Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

32. Slow loris (Nyeticebus coveang)

32A. Small Travancore flying squirrel (Petinomys fuscopapillus)

33. Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)

33A. Snubfin dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)

34. Spotted linasng (Panthera uncia)

35. Swamp deer (all sub-species of Cerves duvauceli)

36. Takin or Mishmi takin (Budorcas taxicolor)

36A. Tibetan antelope or chiru (Panthelopes hodgsoni)

36B. Tibetan fox (Vulpes ferilatus)

37. Tibetan gazella (Procapra picticaudata)

38. Tibetan wild ass (Equus heminous kiang)

39. Tiger (Panthera tigris)

40. Urial or shapu (Ovis vignel)

41. Wild buffalo (Bubalus buballs)

41A. Wild yak (Bos grunniens)

41B. Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco)

Part II - Amphibians and Reptiles

1. Agra Monitor Lizard [Varanus griseus (Daudin)]

1B. Audithia furtle (Pelochelys bibroni)

1C. Barred, oval, or yellow monitor lizard (Varanus flavescens)

1D. Crocodile (including estuarine or saltwater corcodile) (Crocodile proosus and Crocodilus palustris)

1E. Terrapin (Batagur baska)

1F. Eastern hill terrapin (Melanochelys tricarinata)

2. Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)

3. Ganges soft-shelted turtle (Trionyx gangeticus)

3A. Golden gecko (Caloductyloides aureus)

4. Green sea turtle (Trionyx gangeticus)

5. Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata imbricata

7. Indian egg-eating snake (Elachistodon westermanni)

8. Indian soft-shelled turtle (Lissemys punctata)

9. Indian tent turtle (Kachuga tecta tecta)

9A. Kerla forest terrapin (Hoesemys sylratiea)

10. Leathery turtle (Dermochelys coriscea)

11. Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)

12. Oliveback loggerhead turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

13. Peocock-marked soft-shelled turtle (Trionx hurum)

14. Pythons (Genus Phython)

14A. Sail terrapin (Kachuga kachuga)

14B. Spotted black terrapin (Geoclemys hamiltoni)

15. Water Lizard (Varanus salvator)

Part IIA – Fishes

1. Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus)

(i) Anoxypristis cuspidata (ii) Carcharhinus hemiodon

(iii) Glyphis gangeticus (iv) Glyphis glyphis

(v) Himantura fluviatilis (vi) Pristis microdon

(vii)Pristis zijsron (viii) Rhynchobatus djiddensis

Part III - Birds

1. Andaman teal (Anas gibberifrons albogularis)

1A. Assam bamboo partridge (Bambusicola fytchii)

1B. Bazas (Aviceda jerdoni and Aviceda leuphotes)

1C. Bengal florican (Eupodotis bengalensis)

1D. Black-necked crane (Grus nigricollis)

1E. Blood pheasants (lthaginis cruentus tibetanus, lthaginis cruentus kuseri)

2. Cheer pheasant (Catreus wallichi)

2A. Eastern white stork (Ciconia ciconia boyciana)

2B. Forest spotted owlet (Athene blewitti)

2C. Frogmouths (Genus batrachostomus)

3. Great Indian bustard (Choriotis nigriceps)

4. Great Indian hornbill (Buceros bicornis)

4A. Hawks (family Accipitridae)

4B. Hooded crane (Grus monacha)

4C. Hornbills (Ptiloaemus tickelli austeni, Aceros nipalensis, Rhyticeros undulatus ticehursti)

4D. Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata)

4E. Hume's bar-backed pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae)

4F. Indian pied hornbill (Anthracoceros malabaricus)

5. Jerdon's courser (Cursorius bitorquatus)

6. Lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus)

7. Large falcons (Falco peregrinus, Falco biarmicus, Falco chicquera)

7A. Large whistling teal (Anatidae)

7B. Lesser florican (Sypheotides indica)

7C. Monal pheasants (Lophophorus impejanus, Lophophorus sclateri)

8. Mountain quail (Ophrysia supercilios)

9. Narcondam hornbill (Rhyticeros (undulatus) narcondami)

10. Nicobar megapode (Megapodius freycinet)

10A. Nicobar pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis)

10B. Osprey or Fish-eating eagle (Pandion haliaetus)

10C. Peacock pheasants (Polyplectron bicalcaratum)

11. Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)

12. Pink-headed duck (Rhodonessa saryophyllacea)

13. Scalater's monal (Lophophorus sclateri)

14. Siberian white crane (Grus leucogeranus)

14B. Tibetan snow cock (Tetraogallus tibetanus)

15. Tragopan pheasants (Tragopan melanocephalus, T. blythii, T. satyra, T. temminckii)

16. White-bellied sea eagle (Haliaetus leucogaster)

17. White-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon crossoptilon)

17A. Platalea leucorodia

18. White-winged wood duck (Cairina scutalata)

19. Swiftlets (Collocalia unicolor and Collacalia fusiphaga)

20. Hill myna (Gracula religiosa intermedia, G. r. peninsularis, G. r. indica and G. r. andamanesis)

21. Tibetan ear pheasant (Crossoptilon harmani) 22- Kalij pheasant (Lophurs leucomelana)

23. Lord Derby's parakeet (Psittacula derbyana)

24. Vultures (Gyps indicus, Gyps bengalensis, Gyps tenuirostris)

25. White bellied hereon (Ardea insignis)]

Part IV - Crustacea and Insects

Part IV A - Coelenterates

Part IV B - Mollusca

Part IV C - Echinodermata

SCHEDULE – II : ‘Game’ species which have been given more stringent protection

Part I

1A. Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis)

2. Bengal Porcupine (Altherurus mecrourus assamensia)

3A. Bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata)

3C. Cetatean spp. (other than those listed in Sch. I and Sch. II, Part II)

4A. Common langur (Presbytis entellius)

7. Ferret Badgers (Melogate moschata, Melogale personata)

11. Himalayan Crestless Porcupine (Hystrix hodgsoni)

11A. Himalayan Newtor Salamander (Tyletotrition verrucosus)

16. Pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina)

17A. Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta)

19. Stump-tailed macaque (Macaca speciosa)

22. Wild dog or dhole (Cuon alpinus)

24. Chameleon (Chameleon calcaratus)

25. Spiny-tailed Lizard or Sanda (Uromastix hardwickii)

Part II

1A. Civets (all species of Viverridae except Malabar civet)

1B. Common fox (Vulpes bengalensis)

1C. Flying squirreis (all species of the genera Bulopetes, Petaurista, Pelomys, and Eupetaurus)

1D. Giant squirreis (Ratufa indica, and Ratufa bicolor)

2. Himalayan Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

2A. Himalayan black bear (Selenarctos thibetanus)

2B. Jackal (Canis aureus)

2C. Jungle cat (Felis chaus)

2D. Marmots (Marmota bobak himalayana, Marmota caudata)

2E. Martens (Martes foina intermedia, Martes flavigula, Martes watkinsii)

4. Otters (Lutra perspicillata)

4A. Pole cats (Volmela peregusna, Mustela putorius

4B. Red fox (Vulpes vulpes, Vulpes montana, Vulpes griffithi)

5. Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)

5A. Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

7. Weasels (Mustela sibirica, Mustela kathian, Mustela altaica)

8. Checkered keelback snake (Xeno chrophis piscator)

9. Dhaman or rat snake (Ptyas musosus)

10. Dog-faced water snake (Cerberus rhynchopi)

11. Indian cobras (Ophiophagus hannah)

12. King cobra (Vipera ruselli)

13. Olivecerous keelback snake (Artretium schistosum)

14. Russel's viper (Vipera ruselli)

15. Varanus species (excluding yellow monitor lizard)

SCHEDULE – III : ‘Game’ species

2. Barking deer or muntjac (Munticacus munrjak)

5. Chital (Axix axis)

7. Gorals (Nemorhaedus goral, Nemorhaedus hodgsoni)

11. Hegdeer (Axis porcinus)

12. Hyaena (Hyaena hyaena)

14. Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

16. Sambar (Cervus unicolor)

19. Wild pig (Sus scrofa)

20. Sponges (all calcareans)

SCHEDULE - IV : ‘Game’ species

Bird species

SCHEDULE - V : Vermin

1. Common crow

3. Fruit bats

5. Mice

6. Rats

SCHEDULE - VI

1. Beddomes' cycad (Cycas beddomei)

2. Blue Vanda (Vanda soerulec)

3. Kuth (Saussurea lappa)

4. Ladies slipper orchids (Paphiopedilum spp.)

5. Pitcher plant (Nepenthes khasiana)

6. Red Vanda (Rananthera inschootiana)