Wildlife (Protection) Licensing Rules, 2024

Why Are Licensing Rules Needed in Wildlife Law?

Under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, certain activities involving wildlife are not outright banned, but strictly regulated.

These include:

• Handling snake venom
• Possession or transfer of captive animals
• Dealing in trophies or animal articles
• Use of stuffed animals (for education, research, museums, etc.)

👉 For such activities, licensing becomes the control mechanism.

Without licensing:

• Illegal trade can hide behind “research” or “medical use”
• Enforcement becomes extremely difficult

Background of the 2024 Licensing Rules

• In 1983, the government notified:
  • Wildlife (Protection) Licensing (Additional Matters for Consideration) Rules, 1983
• These rules governed how licences could be issued under WPA 1972

After four decades, wildlife governance has changed due to:

• New scientific practices
• International obligations (CITES)
• Amendments to WPA (especially 2022)

👉 Hence, in 2024, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified the Wildlife (Protection) Licensing (Additional Matters for Consideration) Rules, 2024, replacing the 1983 Rules.

What Do the Wildlife (Protection) Licensing Rules, 2024 Cover?

The new rules lay down fresh guidelines for granting licences related to:

• Snake venom
• Captive animals
• Trophy animals
• Stuffed animals

📌 These are sensitive categories, because misuse can directly fuel:

• Poaching
• Illegal wildlife trade
• Cruel captivity practices

Old Rules (1983) vs New Rules (2024): Core Change

Let us understand the single most important change, because UPSC will almost certainly test this.

(a) Position under the 1983 Rules

• Licences were prohibited for:
  • Schedule I animals
  • Part II of Schedule II animals
• Licences could be granted only in exceptional cases
• Mandatory:
  • Prior approval of the Government of India

👉 This reflected a highly restrictive, protection-first approach.

(b) Position under the 2024 Rules

• Licences are prohibited only for Schedule I species
• Restrictions on Schedule II species are lifted
• Licences for Schedule II species:
  • Can be granted after prior consultation with the GoI

📌 This is a clear regulatory relaxation compared to 1983.

What New Factors Are Considered Under the 2024 Rules?

The 2024 Rules do not grant licences casually.

They require authorities to examine:

• Capacity of the applicant
  • Infrastructure
  • Expertise
• Source of supplies
  • Legal and traceable origin
• Implications on hunting or trade
  • Whether licensing could indirectly:
    • Promote poaching
    • Increase illegal trade

👉 This indicates a shift from blanket prohibition to risk-based regulation.