Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
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)
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