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SNAKE LAWS IN INDIA

The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for the protection of plants and animal species. Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed. The Act provides for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants; and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto. It extends to the whole of India. It has six schedules that give varying degrees of protection. Flora and fauna protected under Schedule I and Schedule II are provided absolute protection and offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties. Species listed under Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are lower. Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted under certain conditions if required. All snakes are protected under 3 Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. No snake’s body, body part (skin, tissue, organ, bone, fang, venom etc.), eggs, art or product (venom, skin, meat etc.) from snakes cannot be collected, kept, consumed, transported, transferred or sold without appropriate permissions from State Forest Departments or concerned authorities of local Forest Department. The snakes covered under different Schedules are as below:

• Schedule I (Part II) lists all 3 Pythons found in India and Indian Egg-eating Snake (Elachistodon westermanni).

• Schedule II (Part II) lists frontline venomous snakes of genus Bungarus, Daboia, Naja and Ophiophagus.

• Schedule IV lists all other species except species listed in Schedule I and Schedule II.

PENALTIES

The offence committed is with any snake species specified in Schedule I and II shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but may extend to six years and also with a fine which shall not be less than five thousand rupees. The offences specified under Schedule IV shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with a fine which may extend to twenty-five thousand rupees or with both.

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Indiansnakes

As per the laws of the country, Snakes are protected under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act- 1972. The protection is given to snakes considering their ecological value and to safeguard them from the Illegal Wildlife Trade where live snakes, snake venom, snakeskin are traded by criminals.

1) How many species of snakes are found in India?

There are more than 300 species of snakes found across India. Even though we feel that nature can possibly hold no more secrets, scientists do discover new species from time to time during detailed studies of snakes in the wild.

2) What is the importance of snakes in our eco-system?

Snakes are predators and they are good pest control agents as they feed on rodents like rats and mice. These rodents can cause a lot of damage to stored food grains. The presence of snakes like cobra and rat snakes in farmland will keep these harmful pests under control.

3) Are snakes protected under laws in India?

Yes, snakes are protected as wild animals under various schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Illegal hunting and possession of such protected snakes/ its body parts / venom are punishable offenses under the Act. The severity of punishment depends on the location (inside a protected area / outside the protected area) of the offense and the species of snake involved.

4) If I kill a snake that entered my house, will I get arrested?

Yes, The killing of a snake that is protected by the law under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. However, if the killing of a snake happened in self-defense or to save someone else's life, the same can be considered by the investigating officer or the Hon. Court who will take an appropriate decision after looking into the circumstances leading up to the killing of the snake. Therefore, it is preferable to contact a snake rescuer in such a situation rather than handling such a situation on one’s own. You can locate your nearest snake rescuer using this website or download the SERPENT app on your Android phone.

5) Can I keep a snake as a pet in India ?

No Indian snake species cannot be kept as pet within the country. This includes any species of snakes which are listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Some snake species are not specifically listed in the Act, but the Family mentioned will include all species under it. There are no legal issues in keeping non- native and non-CITES covered species as pets in India. Legalities aside, keeping snakes as pets is not encouraged from a conservation point of view as many such pet snakes are later released into the wild when the owner tire of them or it becomes too much of a responsibility. This could spell disaster for the biodiversity of the region as these species may become invasive species and destroy native wildlife. The Burmese pythons in Florida are one of the best examples of such a disaster.

6) Which is the most protected snake in the Country?

All pythons found in India are accorded the highest level of protection under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. This is due to the huge threat that pythons face from hunting for meat and skin in most parts of India. Currently, their population is increasing across the country and not in any serious threat. The other highly protected snake is the Indian egg eater which has very limited geographical distribution and their numbers may be dwindling due to habitat loss. The exact population status is not known as of now, but they do need strict protection under the law and also habitat-level protection to ensure their survival.

– Jose Louies (Founder)

Indiansnakes.org

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