विदेशी प्रजातियों के शिकार ट्रॉफियों के आयात को विनियमित करना

VA he. Government of India eas Ministry of Environment and Forests pAsytnt (Wildlife Division) eae) arate eA

F. No. 3-42/2013/WL-I

ParyavaranBhawan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003 Dated:>>-February 2014

POLICY CIRCULAR

Sub: Regulation of import of hunting trophies of exotic species into India -reg.

Noting that the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 has been enacted by the Parliament to accord protection to wildlife and its habitat in the country;

Conscious that import of hunting trophies of exotic species, that are hunted outside India is regulated under the provisions of CITES and that there is a need to take holistic approach towards conservation of wildlife in the country in the context of requests for import of hunting trophies into India;

Realizing that the uninterrupted import of such trophies for display in private or public, except in educational institutions and museums serves no public interest, and at times, can even accentuate the tendency of acquiring those of Indian wild life, thereby indirectly encouraging the illegal activities of hunting and trade of wildlife.

Awore that difficulty in distinguishing hunting trophies of exotic species from the look-alike Indian species protected under the various schedules of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 may camouflage the hunting of Indian wildlife and may also encourage killing of protected Indian species, rendering the enforcement of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 difficult;

Recognizing the need of a regulatory policy for import of hunting trophies into India to enable the enforcement agencies to prevent the illegal hunting/poaching of the species protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for trophy making; Acknowledging that scientific institutes in the country have capacity of providing advice on look-alike exotic wild animal hunting trophies with reference to Indian fauna that are protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972;

Also, acknowledging that it is expedient for the Ministry of Environment and Forests to prohibit import of all hunting trophies of exotic species into India that look-alike Indian fauna protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and to restrict the import of exotic hunting trophies to the possible extent;

It is here by decided that the import of the hunting trophies of exotic species will be restricted as below:

• a) No trophy will be permitted for import which is made from the species either listed in Appendix | of CITES, as amended from time to time as on date of receipt of application in the Ministry; or look-alike of any species protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972;

• b) The number of trophies for import from other species not indicated above shall be limited to 20 (twenty) for each applicant in a year starting 1* April and ending on 31° March of the following year. Applications of only those individuals will be considered who themselves have legally hunted those animals in foreign countries in respect of which import permission is being sought.

The Ministry shall endeavor to display on its website a list of animals often hunted in foreign countries for trophy making along with corresponding look alike Indian fauna protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 coming within the purview of a) above, and also to update the same from time to time.

(Shiv Pal Singh ‘ Joint Director (WL)

Distribution:

1. The Chief Secretary, All States/UTs

2. The Director General, DGFT, New Delhi

3. The Additional Chief/Principal Secretary (Forests)/Secretary(Forests), All States/UTs

4. The Chief Wildlife Warden, all States/UTs

5. The Director, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun

6. The Addl. Director, WCCB, New Delhi

Copy to:

1. PS to Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) Environment and Forests

2. PPS to Secretary (E&F), MoEF

3. PPS to DGF & SS, MoEF

4. PPS to Addl. DGF(WL), MoEF

5. PPS to IGF(WL), MoEF

6. PS to DIG (WL)

7. Research Investigator Wildlife Division for uploading on Website