THE WILD LIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972. ACT NO. 53 OF 1972, 9th September, 1972.
An Act to provide for the protection of wild animals, birds and plants and for matters connected therewith or ancillary or incidental thereto with a view to ensuring the ecological and environmental security of the country.
Download PDF for Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
| Sections | Particulars |
| Chapter I | Preliminary |
| 1 | Short title, extent and commencement |
| 2 | Definitions |
| 3 | Appointment of Director and other officers |
| 4 | Appointment of Life Warden and other officers |
| 5 | Power to delegate |
| 6 | Constitution of Wild Life Advisory Board |
| 7 | Procedure to be followed by the Board |
| 8 | Duties of Wild Life Advisory Board |
| Chapter III | Hunting Of Wild Animals |
| 9 | Prohibition of hunting |
| 11 | Hunting of wild animals to be permitted in certain cases |
| 12 | Grant of permit for special purposes |
| 17A | Prohibition of picking, uprooting, etc. of specified plant |
| 17B | Grants of permit for special purposes |
| 17C | Cultivation of specified plants without license prohibited |
| 17D | Dealing in specified plants without license prohibited |
| 17E | Declaration of stock |
| 17F | Possession, etc., of plants by licensee |
| 17G | Purchase, etc., of specified plants |
| 17H | Plants to be Government property |
| 18 | Declaration of sanctuary |
| 19 | Collector to determine rights |
| 20 | Bar of accrual of rights |
| 21 | Proclamation by Collector |
| 22 | Inquiry by Collector |
| 23 | Powers of Collector |
| 24 | Acquisition of rights |
| 25 | Acquisition proceedings |
| 26 | Delegation of Collector’s powers |
| 26A | Declaration of area as sanctuary |
| 27 | Restriction on entry in sanctuary |
| 28 | Grant of permit |
| 29 | Destruction, etc., in a sanctuary prohibited without permit |
| 30 | Causing fire prohibited |
| 31 | Prohibition of entry into sanctuary with weapon |
| 32 | Ban on use of injurious substances |
| 33 | Control of sanctuaries |
| 33A | Immunisation of live-stock |
| 34 | Registration of certain persons in possession of arms |
| 35 | Declaration of National Parks |
| 37 | Declaration of closed area |
| 38 | Power of Central Government to declare areas as sanctuaries or National Parks |
| Chapter IVA | Central Zoo Authority And Recognition Of Zoos |
| 38A | Constitution of Central Zoo Authority |
| 38B | Term of office and conditions of service of Chairperson and members, etc |
| 38C | Functions of the Authority |
| 38D | Procedure to be regulated by the Authority |
| 38E | Grants and loans to Authority and Constitution of Fund. |
| 38F | Annual report |
| 38G | Annual report and audit report to be laid before Parliament |
| 38H | Recognition of zoos |
| 38I | Acquisition of animals by a zoo |
| 38J | Prohibition of teasing, etc., in a zoo |
| Chapter V | Trade Or Commerce In Wild Animals, Animal Articles And Trophies |
| 39 | Wild animals, etc., to be Government property |
| 40 | Declarations |
| 41 | Inquiry and preparation of inventories |
| 42 | Certificate of ownership |
| 43 | Regulation of transfer of animal, etc |
| 44 | Dealings in trophy and animal articles without license prohibited |
| 45 | Suspension or cancellation of licenses |
| 46 | Appeal |
| 47 | Maintenance of records |
| 48 | Purchase of animal, etc., by licensee |
| 48A | Restriction on transportation of wild life |
| 49 | Purchase of captive animal, etc., by a person other than a licensee |
| Chapter VA | Prohibition Of Trade Or Commerce In Trophies, Animal Articles, Etc. Derived From Certain Animals |
| 49A | Definitions |
| 49B | Prohibition of dealings in trophies, animal articles, etc., derived from scheduled animals |
| 49C | Declaration by dealers |
| 50 | Power of entry, search, arrest and detention |
| 51 | Penalties |
| 52 | Attempts and abetment |
| 53 | Punishment for wrongful seizure |
| 54 | Power to compound offence |
| 55 | Cognizance of offences |
| 56 | Operation of other laws not barred |
| 57 | Presumption to be made in certain cases |
| 58 | Offences by companies |
| Chapter VII | Miscellaneous |
| 59 | Officers to be public servants |
| 60 | Protection of action taken in good faith |
| 60A | Reward to persons |
| 61 | Power to alter entries in Schedules |
| 62 | Declaration of certain wild animals to be vermin |
| 63 | Power of Central Government to make rules |
| 64 | Power of State Government to make rules |
| 65 | Rights of Scheduled Tribes to be protected |
| 66 | Repeal and savings |
| Schedules | Schedule-1 Part-I |
| Schedule-1 Part-II | |
| Schedule-1 Part-III | |
| Schedule-2 Part-I | |
| Schedule-2 Part-II | |
| Schedule-3 | |
| Schedule-4 | |
| Schedule-5 |