If we look at the definition of hunting under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, “hunting” includes: The answers are not far off: destruction of our habitat, including through mismanagement and fire; lack of regular data, such as those available when hunting was legal; A sharp decline in the number of people familiar with the manners of animals and their needs – or what used to be called the ways of nature – who have been replaced by researchers who follow meaningless Cartesian models to analyze wildlife and its characteristics. Wildlife hunting was not considered illegal in the early stages, but the government was active and considered it illegal shortly after the French Revolution and many laws and regulations were enacted to regulate animal hunting. Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more amazing legal content. As separate ecological brothers from the supercontinent Gondwana in the Triassic (250-200 million years ago), India and Africa have great similarities in their fauna and flora. Many species such as leopards, lions and elephants look alike. These similarities are much greater when we look at the body parts of these animals (for example, the skull or skin) rather than the entire animal. A thriving legal trade in trophies could actually encourage illicit trade. India is already under enormous pressure on its wildlife, with species such as tigers, lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards and snakes in high demand in the international market. In fact, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has received requests from the public to issue trophy import permits from African countries such as South Africa, Cameroon, Namibia and Zimbabwe. MoEF&CC sources say the ministry received few applications before 2010, but the number has increased. As of February 2015, the ministry had received a total of approximately 250 applications to import animal trophies.

These species are hunted in Africa by Indian hunting enthusiasts and imported to India in the form of whole animal mounts, shoulder mounts, skulls, skins, horns, scrotums, feet and hooves. In February 2014, MoEF&CC took a political decision on the issue, banning the import of trophy items from CITES-listed species or doppelgängers of species protected under the 1972 Wildlife Protection Act. It also limited the number of imports of these items to 20 per person per year. Given the difficulties in distinguishing similar species, implementation of the law remains a challenge. And the supervisory authorities are sorely understaffed. Imported wildlife trophies are inspected at ports by inspectors from the Wildlife Crime Bureau (WCCB), India`s designated CITES control centre, or sent by customs officers to regional offices for further examination. If no non-compliance is found, a clearance certificate is issued. However, if a violation is detected, further action will be taken. The mechanism sounds good, but given the limited capacity of the WCCB and the scale of international trade, the challenge is enormous. This is why MoEF&CC has been thinking about strengthening the WCCB. Trophy hunting is not a conservation tool Trophy hunting may be an important tool for species conservation in some countries, but it is not nature conservation per se, especially in the context of India. Although many hotels, government institutions and private homes continue to display wildlife trophies in the form of mounted animal heads, stuffed animals, horns and ivory tusks, we must try to prevent this practice in accordance with our ethos of species conservation.

This is necessary for the long-term benefits of Indian and global wildlife resources. Banning hunting for all these benefits is necessary and for the implementation of this rule of not hunting animals, the government brings many laws regulating hunting and banning hunting in India. Some of the laws introduced to implement the rule of prohibition of hunting and regulation of prohibition of hunting. But soon after the French Revolution, hunting was declared illegal, which damaged the forest ecosystem and also led to endangered species. Hunting was once considered a hobby and a sign of nobility, but now the government has enacted many laws prohibiting hunting that regulate the practice. The concept of hunting was born 3 million years ago and still exists in the world today. Earlier in the king`s reign, hunting was considered a privilege of the nobility and noble family, and they hunted in their spare time as a source of pleasure for them. If we look at the impact of the hunting ban, according to a study, it is found that the ban on wildlife hunting introduced by the Government of Botswana has led to a reduction in the incomes and livelihoods of the rural population and has suffered greatly. The Wildlife Protection Act 1972 allows hunting in certain cases – usually in cases of loss of life and property. The threshold for granting such authorisation is highest for List I animals (mammals) and practically zero for List V animals (vermin). Vermin do not enjoy the protection of the law; They can be killed without legal consequences. In the case of other animals on Lists I to IV, the Chief Wildlife Custodian (`CWW`) (a forestry officer appointed by each State) has non-delegable powers to authorise hunting.

The exercise of this authority is subject to the failure of other options such as reinsurance, relocation and rehabilitation. The law thus aims to promote harmonious coexistence against senseless massacres.