NBWL recommends restoring higher protection to rhesus macaque under Wildlife Act

New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wild Life (SCNBWL) has recommended that the rhesus macaque, one of the most common and widely distributed monkey species in India, be included under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, to strengthen legal control and management, official records show.

The committee took the decision after considering representations from animal welfare groups and detailed inputs from state wildlife authorities, and directed states to prepare site-specific mitigation plans and a nationwide baseline study to guide scientific management of the species.

According to the minutes, the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations had asked for restoration of Schedule II protection to prevent cruelty, exploitation and illegal trade.

The committee noted that the species had earlier been listed under Part I of Schedule II before the 2022 amendments to the Act and that the matter had been referred to the Animal Committee which, while a majority favoured inclusion, had flagged the absence of baseline population and conflict data.

The ministry then circulated a questionnaire to chief wildlife wardens of all states and Union territories and received responses from 15 jurisdictions. Six states supported reinstatement, seven opposed it and two were neutral or recorded that the species was not native to the state.

The committee noted that reinstating the species under Schedule II would restore statutory protection and enforcement against illegal capture, trade and cruelty, enable regulated scientific management including conflict mitigation, rescue, rehabilitation and population control measures under authorised protocols, and facilitate coordinated guidance and funding prioritisation.

The Central Zoo Authority and the National Tiger Conservation Authority agreed that Schedule II listing would offer greater administrative flexibility for management interventions at state and local levels.

The panel said that states must prepare detailed, site-specific mitigation plans identifying and categorising areas of conflict; a baseline study across states must be carried out; and scientific management measures should be developed on the basis of studies by the Wildlife Institute of India.

It also directed divisional forest officers to prepare management and conservation plans for local areas and urged development or strengthening of rescue and rehabilitation centres to handle conflict situations and care for displaced or injured animals. Local urban bodies were to be involved in the programme where relevant. PTI GVS ZMN