Context: Recently, the central government has excluded some species from the process of issuing licences for their wildlife trade in the revised rules that have come after four decades.

Key provisions

Exclusion of Certain Species

• The revised rules exclude certain species from the licensing process for wildlife trade.

• The government notification specifies guidelines for snake venom, captive animals, trophy animals, and stuffed animals.

Previous Licensing Restrictions

• The rules from 1983 prohibited issuing licenses for trading in wild animals categorized under Schedule I or Part II of Schedule II under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.

• Licenses were granted in exceptional cases with the prior approval of the central government.

Revised Guidelines

• Under the new guidelines, licenses related to wild animals specified in Schedule I to the Wildlife Protection Act will not be granted except with the previous consultation of the central government.

• The rules emphasize the need for considering the capacity of applicants in terms of facilities, equipment, and feasibility of premises.

• Source and manner of obtaining supplies, existing licences in the concerned area, and implications on hunting or trade must be considered before granting a licence.

Unclear Exclusion of Schedule II Species

• The notification does not clarify why restrictions on Schedule II species have been lifted.

• The 2022 amendment rationalized Wildlife Protection Act schedules, with Schedule II still containing crucial species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Revised Wildlife Protection Act Schedules

• The schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act were rationalized in an amendment in 2022.

• The original law had six schedules, including specific categories for endangered species, non-endangered species, vermin, and plant species.

• Schedule I includes animals requiring utmost protection.

• Schedule II has species needing comparatively lower protection.

• Plant species are listed under Schedule III.

• Schedule IV is dedicated to species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Wildlife Protection Act 1972 - Schedule II Species

• Birds such as sparrows, bulbul, ducks, geese, owls, kites, eagles, falcons, and prinias.

• Reptiles such as snakes and turtles.

• Mammals including deer, hare, rats, langur.

• Amphibians like geckos and frogs.

Present status

• As per the revised amendments Schedule I includes animals requiring utmost protection while Schedule II has species needing comparatively lower protection.

• Plant species have been listed under Schedule II while Schedule IV is dedicated to species to be protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

• It is an international agreement between governments. 

• Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species.

• CITES was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union).

• The text of the Convention was finally agreed at a meeting of representatives of 80 countries in Washington, D.C., United States of America, on 3 March 1973, and on 1 July 1975 CITES entered in force.

• Under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, some of the animals listed under Schedule II include birds such as sparrows, eagles, falcons, prinias, reptiles such as snakes, turtles, mammals such as deer, langur, and amphibians like geckos and frogs are listed. 

• According to the World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 about 6,000 species of flora and fauna were seized globally from 1999-2018.

World Wildlife Crime Reports

• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) unveils the World Wildlife Crime Reports.

• The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 was developed drawing upon the best available data provided by international bodies and enforcement authorities from around the world. 

• This included data from the annual illegal trade reports that CITES Parties are required to submit to the Secretariat since 2017.

• The World Wildlife Crime Report 2020 contains detailed case studies on illegally traded species, illicit markets and trade flows, as well as illicit financial flows.

• It analyzes the status and changing trends of illegal markets, most notably illicit trafficking of rosewood, eels, reptiles, ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales, all specimens covered by CITES.