Kerala cabinet approves Bill to allow culling of violent wild animals

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 13 ( IANS) In a major decision aimed at addressing rising man-animal conflicts, the Kerala Cabinet at a special cabinet meeting held on Saturday approved a Bill that will permit the killing of violent wild animals straying into human settlements.

The amendment will be brought to the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

As the law falls under the Centre's purview, the State will seek the President's assent before implementation.

With the green signal coming, the Vijayan government will bring this Bill before the new Assembly session starting from Monday.

The move comes amid mounting protests in high-range regions over repeated attacks by elephants, wild boars, and other animals.

Officials acknowledged that while procedural hurdles remain, it is politically significant with elections approaching.

The Cabinet has also cleared a proposal to classify violent wild animals as "vermin", which would legally enable their culling.

Another Bill approved allows private individuals to cut down sandalwood trees grown on their own land, subject to permission from the Forest Department.

All three Bills will be presented in the upcoming Assembly session.

Data highlights the scale of the crisis. Between 2016 and 2023, Kerala recorded 55,839 cases of wild animal attacks.

From 2016 to early 2024, 909 people were killed in such incidents.

Elephant attacks alone claimed 180 lives over the past eight years.

The government's decision is being seen as an attempt to reassure residents of those living where the incidents of man-animal conflicts have reached a high.

These wild animals, apart from attacking human beings, also cause severe destruction to crops.

With local body elections due later this year and Assembly polls scheduled for April–May 2026, the timing of the move carries strong political overtones.

The Catholic Church has welcomed this move by the Vijayan government and said that if this becomes a reality, then it would be good for mankind.

--IANS

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