Reinstatement of Rhesus Macaque Protection
The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL), chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, has put forth a significant recommendation regarding the protection of the Rhesus Macaque species of monkeys.
Recommendation Details
- The recommendation advocates reinstating Rhesus Macaque under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
- The aim is to enhance statutory protection, enforce regulations against illegal capture and cruelty, and enable scientific management of the species.
- Key requests for this change came from the Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India and the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations.
Justification and Deliberation
- Internal deliberations and views from states where the species is prevalent backed this proposal.
- The Environment Ministry highlighted the powers given to states under Section 11 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act to deal with wildlife species in conflict.
- Bhupender Yadav emphasized the need for site-specific management and conservation plans.
Support and Opposition
- Support from:
- Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority
- Member Secretary, National Tiger Conservation Authority
- States such as Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh
- Opposition from:
- States such as Assam, Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh
- Reasons for opposition include the species' non-threatened status and conflict management concerns.
Implementation and Future Steps
- State governments are tasked with creating detailed, site-specific mitigation plans.
- Developing a baseline study with insights from the Wildlife Institute of India.
- The matter was previously tabled in the 85th SC-NBWL meeting for policy advice.