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- Why in News?
- The Kerala Cabinet has approved an amendment bill proposing changes to the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, with the objective of addressing the state’s rising human-animal conflict. This marks the first instance of a state initiating amendments to a central law on wildlife management.
- Key Provisions of the Bill:
- The amendment empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) to directly order the killing of wild animals attacking humans in inhabited areas. Currently, the WPA permits the CWW to grant hunting licenses for Schedule I–IV species if deemed dangerous. The bill also allows the state government to classify any animal from Schedule II as vermin, a power presently reserved for the Centre under Section 62. Once designated as vermin, animals may be culled in specific areas for limited periods.
- Rising Conflict Drivers:
- Habitat destruction, resource competition, climate change impacts, and illegal poaching are key factors pushing animals into closer contact with human settlements.