Kerala’s proposed Wild Life (Protection) Act has activists riled up and farmers buoyant

Kerala’s proposed legislation to amend the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for its application within the state has triggered sharp reactions from animal rights activists and environmentalists, who warn it could dilute decades of conservation gains. The Wild Life Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025, published on the Legislative Assembly website last week, has been positioned by the government as a landmark step to address the escalating human–wildlife conflict that has taken a heavy toll on farmers and rural households.

‘Licence to kill’

“This is nothing short of a licence to kill,” said an animal rights activist, reflecting widespread apprehension within conservation circles. “The government is using farmer distress to justify sweeping powers that could lead to indiscriminate killing of wildlife. Coexistence and conflict mitigation require more nuanced solutions.”

“Implementing this is no small hurdle. Every time Kerala has run to the Centre with this same demand in different forms, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has dismissed it outright, saying that the current law already has provisions to deal with problem animals on a case-by-case basis. Which means the possibility of the Centre recommending such an amendment is extremely slim. The only remaining path is Presidential assent - but even that, as per practice, is guided by the advice of the Union Cabinet. In the current political climate, no matter how many laments Kerala composes citing human suffering, with the Centre opposed, the chance of Presidential assent is zero,” said Sreedevi S. Kartha, an animal rights activist.

Also Read: Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: A tale of conflict and controversy in Kerala

Farmers, rural residents welcome amendment

However, farmers’ organisations and residents of Kerala’s high ranges have largely welcomed the move, describing it as a long-overdue recognition of their plight. For years, communities living along forest fringes have reported sleepless nights, crop devastation, and recurring confrontations with elephants, wild boars, and monkeys. Several farmer groups said the Bill has at least acknowledged the scale of the crisis and put forward a framework that prioritises their safety and livelihoods. At the same time, they admit there is lingering uncertainty about whether the amendment will ever secure assent from the union government, given its repeated rejection of similar proposals in the past.

“Election stunt or not, this is a welcome step by the government. What matters now is putting pressure on the union government to give its assent,” said Victor Cherian, a farmer from Konni. “It’s easy for environmentalists to comment from their urban flats with all facilities. We are the ones who suffer every day. If they want wild boars and monkeys to be spared, let them come live here - we are ready to swap lives.”

Also Read: Animal attacks in Kerala: Assembly passes resolution urging Centre to amend wildlife laws

The amendments

The 63-page Bill introduces a raft of amendments to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, a central law originally designed to protect India’s biodiversity. Kerala’s draft argues that the Act, though foundational, has become inadequate in addressing the unique pressures of a densely populated state where forest fringes and farmland overlap extensively.

The core of the bill is the amendment to Section 11, which empowers the Chief Wildlife Warden and other senior forest officials to act against animals deemed “dangerous to human life”. The draft provides a new definition: a wild animal may be declared dangerous if it has attacked a person outside a forest or sanctuary, or if it strays into a residential area and creates public panic. Once declared dangerous, the animal may be tranquillised, captured, translocated, or, in extreme circumstances, killed.

Also Read: Kerala: Youth killed in wild elephant attack in Mundoor; minister announces probe

Birth control, relocation

The Bill also allows for population-level management. If an expert body appointed by the government concludes that a species is causing large-scale crop loss or property damage, the Chief Wildlife Warden may declare that population “dangerous” and implement measures such as birth control or relocation. These declarations would be published in the Gazette and remain valid for six months, extendable by further notifications.

Culling

Another major amendment concerns Section 62, which enables the state to declare certain species listed under Schedule II of the Act as “vermin” for specified periods and areas. Perhaps the most controversial provision is the proposed reclassification of the Bonnet Macaque (Macaca radiata) from Schedule I - where it enjoys the highest protection - to Schedule II, thereby making it eligible for declaration as vermin. Once so declared, culling could be legally permitted.

Also Read: Deaths and destruction: Why human-animal conflicts in Kerala are climbing

Human-animal conflict

The government argues that Kerala is facing an “unprecedented crisis” of human–animal conflict. Official data shows rising incidents of elephants trampling crops, wild boars raiding plantations, and macaques creating havoc in urban fringes. The agricultural sector, particularly in highland districts, has reported extensive losses, while human fatalities from animal attacks have sparked protests in several villages.

In the Bill’s preamble, the Kerala Legislature Secretariat notes that “continuous man–animal conflicts, human deaths, and damage to crops necessitate urgent legislative intervention.” By placing wildlife in the Concurrent List through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, states have the power to legislate on the subject, and Kerala says it is exercising that right to “safeguard lives and livelihoods without abandoning conservation”.

Also Read: Ground Report from Thadagam: A thriving scam and rising human-elephant conflicts

Electoral dimension

Political observers point out that the move also has an electoral dimension. After the Sabarimala protests, where the government faced backlash from Ayyappa devotees, highland farmers are now viewed as another politically sensitive group that needs reassurance. With local body and assembly elections approaching, analysts suggest that the Bill reflects both governance concerns and political calculations.

The state’s biggest hurdle may not come from activists alone but from New Delhi. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has repeatedly turned down similar proposals from Kerala in the past. Its consistent position has been that Section 11 is sufficient and that blanket powers to declare animals dangerous or vermin are unnecessary.

Also Read: Elephant’s wellbeing above humans’ right for religious use: Bombay HC

Remote chances of Presidential approval

Since wildlife legislation falls under the Concurrent List, any amendment by a state requires either the Centre’s recommendation or, failing that, the President’s assent under Article 254(2). But such assent is almost always guided by the advice of the Union Cabinet. With the Cabinet’s opposition clear, legal experts say the chances of Presidential approval are remote.

For now, the Bill has laid bare the competing pressures at Kerala’s forest fringes: distressed farmers demanding protection from wildlife, a government attempting to offer legislative solutions, activists warning of ecological backsliding, and a Centre reluctant to dilute conservation law.

As the Wild Life Protection (Kerala Amendment) Bill, 2025 heads for a legislative test, Kerala finds itself at a crossroads. The outcome will test not only the state’s political priorities but also India’s broader commitment to balancing human safety with ecological stewardship.