Kerala Assembly Passes Bill Permitting Killing of Dangerous Wild Animals and Sandalwood Sale from Private Land

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala has become the first state to approve a draft bill amending the central Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The proposed Kerala Wildlife Protection Amendment Bill 2025 seeks to simplify emergency procedures and tackle the increasing human-animal conflict in the state.

The bill specifically addresses the challenges faced by residents in hilly regions, where encounters with wild animals are more frequent.

Under the amendment, the Chief Wildlife Warden can issue orders to kill aggressive animals. In cases where a wild animal attacks people or enters a residential area, the Chief Wildlife Warden, based on a report from the Collector or Chief Forest Conservator, may order the animal to be killed, tranquillised and captured, or relocated.

Any wild animal entering residential areas outside forests, or attacking humans, will be considered a threat to human life. Furthermore, if a Schedule II wild animal population grows to levels dangerous to humans or property, the state government can declare it a “vermin” through an official notification. The bill also removes native monkeys from Schedule I and includes them in Schedule II.

The amendment also introduces provisions for forestry management. Sandalwood trees on private land can now be cut and sold through the Forest Department, ensuring that farmers receive fair compensation. Additionally, certain forest offences can be compounded with the court’s permission.

Speaking during the discussion on the bill, Minister A K Sasindran said the amendments would provide much-needed relief to people in Kerala’s hilly regions. He added that as the bill amends a central law, the opposition cannot claim unanimous state support on the matter before the Centre. Legislators P T A Rahim, V K Prasanth, Mathew T Thomas, and Linto Joseph also participated in the debate.