Q. Under the provisions of Indian wildlife protection laws, consider the following assertions:
1.Ownership of all wild animals vests solely with the Government.
2.Once a species is notified as protected, it enjoys the same degree of legal protection whether it is inside a protected area or outside it.
3.Mere fear that a protected wild animal might endanger human life is a legally valid reason for its capture or killing.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Explanation
- Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, all wild animals specified in the Schedules are considered the property of the State (Government).
- Even if a wild animal enters private land, it is not the property of the landowner.
- Legal protection to a species under the Schedules of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 applies throughout the territory of India, irrespective of whether the animal is in a protected area (like National Parks, Sanctuaries, Tiger Reserves) or outside (e.g., in villages, farms, cities).
- The Act permits capture or killing of a wild animal only when it has become a “danger to human life” (i.e., an actual threat, not just apprehension).
- Example: A man-eating tiger or a rogue elephant may be declared as such by the Chief Wildlife Warden and then killed or captured. Mere fear is not enough.
Source: Environment (Forum Factly)
