Why Kerala wants Wildlife Act amended to allow it to kill some wild animals

Indian Express

08-06-2025

Kerala has sought the Union government's nod to kill wild animals that pose a threat to human life and properties. The state wants the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 amended so it can be allowed to kill wild animals that foray into human habitats.
Here is why.
The wildlife attack problem in Kerala
Wildlife attacks have emerged as a major issue in Kerala, with the government identifying 273 village local bodies, out of 941, as hotspots.
The problem animals are mainly tiger, leopard, elephant, bison, wild boar, bonnet macaque and peafowl. Although bonnet macaque (a monkey species) and peafowl do not pose a threat to life, their repeated raids have forced farmers to abandon vast tracts of agricultural land.
As many as 919 persons were killed and 8,967 others injured in wildlife attacks in Kerala from 2016-17 to 2024-25 (till January 31), according to government data.
Major reasons are regional fluctuations in wildlife population, animals forced to move out as the quality of their habitats decline, grazing of domestic cattle in forest areas, changes in cropping patterns, etc.
But importantly, the population explosion in the case of wild pigs and various species of monkeys is wreaking havoc in human habitations.
The existing legal framework puts several constraints in taking timely action in emergency situations, officials said, especially in the case of animals protected under Schedule I of the Act.
Before ordering the killing of dangerous wild animals, the state chief wildlife warden should be convinced that it cannot be captured, tranquilised or shifted to another place. Such captured animals should not be held under confinement. Also, apart from conditions laid down in the Act, the government has to follow the advisory of the Tiger Conservation Authority and Project Elephant Scheme while dealing with human-wildlife conflict.
While the district collector, who is the executive magistrate, can issue orders for removal of a public nuisance, there are court orders preventing the invoking of these powers with regard to wild animals.
The government's stand on killing wild animals
State Forest Minister A K Saseendran said the state wants the Centre to amend the 1972 Act to allow Kerala to kill 'all man-eating wild animals.'
'We are not looking for powers for indiscriminate killing of wild animals. Culling of animals posing threat to life and cultivation should be allowed for a certain period. The permission can be also region-specific and seasonal. All preventive measures such as fencing have failed to stop animal attacks,' he said.
The minister added that in the case of wild boars, the wild boar control system (in which licenced shooters are allowed to kill crop-raiding animals) has failed to effectively curb the menace. 'Before shooting a wild boar, one has to examine whether it is pregnant or not. Such impractical guidelines have failed to serve the purpose. The growing population of wildlife has to be controlled to prevent threats to human lives,'' he added.
Changing the legal status of animals
The state wants wild boars to be declared as vermin for a certain period under section 62 of the Act. The state also wants to address the bonnet macaque threat by removing it from the category of Schedule I. This species of monkey was included in Schedule I in 2022. Until then, the chief wildlife warden could order capturing and relocating of monkeys causing mayhem in human habitations. Now, the warden cannot take any suo motu action on this threat.