Chapter III§9–17
Hunting of Wild Animals
Hunting is the heart of the Act's prohibition regime. Section 9 absolutely bans hunting of any wild animal in Schedules I–IV. The two narrow exceptions — dangerous or terminally injured animals (§11) and special-purpose permits for education, science and snake-venom (§12) — are the only routes by which a lawful hunt can occur. Sections 13–17 were repealed in 1991; section 10 was deleted with them.
5 sections · MVP coverage
Prohibition of hunting
The Act's cornerstone — a complete prohibition on hunting any wild animal listed in Schedules I, II, III or IV. The only escapes are §§11 and 12.
No person shall hunt any wild animal specified in Schedules I, II, III and IV except as provided under section 11 and section 12.
[Omitted] — Maintenance of records of wild animals killed or captured
Repealed by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991. The earlier requirement to keep records of animals killed or captured is no longer on the statute book.
Omitted by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991 (44 of 1991), section 10, with effect from 2 October 1991.
Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases
Two narrow escape routes from the §9 ban: dangerous-or-incurable animals can be hunted with a written Chief Wild Life Warden order (capture/tranquillisation must be tried first for Schedule I species), and self-defence killing in good faith is not an offence — but the carcass becomes Government property.
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force and subject to the provisions of Chapter IV,— (a) the Chief Wild Life Warden may, if he is satisfied that any wild animal specified in Schedule I has become dangerous to human life or is so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery, by Order in writing and stating the reasons therefor, permit any person to hunt such animal or cause such animal to be hunted;
Provided that no wild animal shall be ordered to be killed unless the Chief Wild Life Warden is satisfied that such animal cannot be captured, tranquilised or translocated:
Provided further that no such captured animal shall be kept in captivity unless the Chief Wild Life Warden is satisfied that such animal cannot be rehabilitated in the wild and the reasons for the same are recorded in writing.
Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (a), the process of capture or translocation, as the case may be, of such animal shall be made in such manner as to cause minimum trauma to the said animal.
(b) the Chief Wild Life Warden or the authorised officer may, if he is satisfied that any wild animal specified in Schedule II, Schedule III, or Schedule IV, has become dangerous to human life or to property (including standing crops on any land) or is so disabled or diseased as to be beyond recovery, by order in writing and stating the reasons therefor, permit any person to hunt such animal or group of animals in a specified area or cause such animal or group of animals in that specified area to be hunted.
(2) The killing or wounding in good faith of any wild animal in defence of oneself or of any other person shall not be an offence:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall exonerate any person who, when such defence becomes necessary, was committing any act in contravention of any provision of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder.
(3) Any wild animal killed or wounded in defence of any person shall be Government property.
Grant of permit for special purposes
The Chief Wild Life Warden can issue a written, fee-paid permit to hunt for education, scientific research, scientific management (translocation or non-lethal population control), zoo/museum specimens or snake-venom for life-saving drugs — but for any Schedule I animal Central Government clearance is mandatory.
Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Act, it shall be lawful for the Chief Wild Life Warden, to grant a permit, by an order in writing stating the reasons therefor, to any person, on payment of such fee as may be prescribed, which shall entitle the holder of such permit to hunt subject to such conditions as may be specified therein, any wild animal specified in such permit, for the purpose of,— (a) education; (b) scientific research; (bb) scientific management.
Explanation.—For the purposes of clause (bb), the expression "scientific management" means— (i) translocation of any wild animals to an alternative suitable habitat; or (ii) population management of wildlife, without killing or poisoning or destroying any wild animals;
(c) collection of specimens— (i) for recognised zoos subject to the permission under section 38-I; or (ii) for museums and similar institutions; (d) derivation, collection or preparation of snake-venom for the manufacture of life-saving drugs:
Provided that no such permit shall be granted— (a) in respect of any wild animal specified in Schedule I, except with the previous permission of the Central Government, and (b) in respect of any other wild animal, except with the previous permission of the State Government.
[Omitted] — Licences, appeals, closed time, hunting restrictions
All five sections — licence suspension/cancellation (§13), appeals (§14), hunting of young/female animals (§15), closed-time declarations (§16) and restrictions on hunting (§17) — were repealed by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991.
Sections 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 were omitted by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991 (44 of 1991), section 12, with effect from 2 October 1991. The earlier licensing scheme for hunting was abolished — replaced by the absolute prohibition in section 9 with the narrow exceptions in sections 11 and 12.