Kerala’s revisions to the Wildlife Act cede national safeguards

• Kerala is amending the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 to gain powers typically held by the Union government, highlighting tensions in federal environmental governance.

• The Wild Life Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill 2025 allows the State to classify Schedule II animals as ‘vermin’, permitting their removal of protections in specific areas and times.

• The Chief Wildlife Warden can order lethal actions against animals that severely injure humans, responding to issues with wild boars in agricultural and forested areas.

• Previous efforts to classify wild boars as ‘vermin’ under the Central Act have been unsuccessful, reflecting frustration with federal processes.

• The amendment raises concerns about normalizing lethal responses to human-animal conflict due to expanding human settlements in buffer zones.

• The Centre’s power to declare vermin is criticized for lacking transparency and timely engagement with states facing unique ecological challenges.

• Transferring this authority to the State does not inherently resolve issues of transparency and requires clear criteria and accountability.

• The amendment must balance federal safeguards with State autonomy, ensuring conservation efforts are not undermined while allowing for responsive governance.

• Challenges include avoiding governance failures that lead to hasty, lethal measures and ensuring that urgency does not overtake rational decision-making.

Kerala vs Central Wildlife Act is important topic for Civil service exam (WBCS).

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