Notification of Rules Framed under Section 49N and 49O of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2022)

·         Breeders of Species Licence Rules, 2023 under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (53 of 1972), provides the legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals, management of their habitat and also for the regulation and control of trade in the products derived from various parts of wild animals.

The Act was last amended in 2022. The Wild life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 has come into force since 1st April 2023. As per the Section 49 N of the Act, person engaged in breeding in captivity or artificially propagating any scheduled specimen listed in Appendix I of Schedule IV are required to make an application for a licence within a period of ninety days of the commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Rules under Section 49 N vide Gazette Notification dated 24th April 2023. They can also be accessed from http://moef.gov.in.

All persons engaged in breeding in captivity or artificially propagating any scheduled specimen listed in Appendix I of Schedule IV of the Act are requested to make an application for licence as per the Rules framed under Section 49 N of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 in the prescribed form on or before 29th June, 2023.

<Wild life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022>


 

Application for Licence by breeders of Appendix I species.

49N. (1) Every person who is engaged in breeding in captivity or artificially propagating any scheduled specimen listed in Appendix I of Schedule IV shall make, within a period of ninety days of the commencement of the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, an application for a licence to the Chief Wild Life Warden.

(2) The form and manner of the application to be made to the Chief Wild Life Warden under sub-section (1), the fee payable, the form of licence, the procedure to be followed in granting or cancelling the licence shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Licence of breeders of Appendix I

species.49-O. (1) On receipt of application under sub-section (1) of section 49N, the Chief Wild Life Warden shall, if—

(a) the application is in the prescribed form;

(b) the resolutions of the Convention relating to breeding in captivity or artificial propagation of species listed in Appendix I of Schedule IV are satisfied; and

(c) the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder have been duly complied with, record an entry of the statement in a register and grant the applicant a licence.

(2) The Chief Wild Life Warden shall, if the provisions or resolutions of the Convention or this Act and any rules made hereunder have not been complied with, or if a false particular is furnished, refuse or cancel the licence as the case may be after providing the applicant with an opportunity of being heard.

(3) The licence under sub-section (1) shall be issued for a period of two years and may be renewed after two years on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.

(4) Any person aggrieved by the refusal of the Chief Wild Life Warden or cancellation of licence under sub-section (2) may prefer an appeal to the State Government within a period of sixty days in such manner as may be prescribed.

Prohibition on alteration, etc.

49P. No person shall alter, deface, erase or remove a mark of identification affixed upon the scheduled specimen or its package.