Which of the following authorities are constituted under the umbrella of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, for wildlife conserva…

Question

Which of the following authorities are constituted under the umbrella of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, for wildlife conservation?

I. Central Zoo Authority

II. State Board for Wildlife

III. National Tiger Conservation Authority

IV. National Coastal Zone Management Authority

Choose the correct option:

1. A. I and II only
2. B. I, II and III only (Correct answer)
3. C. I, III and IV only
4. D. All of the above

Correct Answer

Option B — I, II and III only

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is I, II and III only.

Key Points

• The following bodies are constituted under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972:
  • Central Zoo Authority — inserted by the 1991 amendment, it recognises and regulates zoos in India.
  • State Board for Wildlife — chaired by the Chief Minister of the State or the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory; it advises on the declaration of protected areas.
  • National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) — created by the 2006 amendment following the Tiger Task Force report, it administers Project Tiger.
• The National Coastal Zone Management Authority is NOT constituted under this Act. It is set up under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, through the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification.

Additional Information

• Other authorities under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972:
  • National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) — chaired by the Prime Minister; its approval is required for any project inside a national park or sanctuary.
  • Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) — added by the 2006 amendment to combat organised wildlife trafficking.
• Schedules of the Act: the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 reduced the number of schedules from six to four — Schedule I and II for animals by degree of protection, Schedule III for plants, and Schedule IV for specimens listed under CITES.
• Protected area categories created under the Act: National Park, Wildlife Sanctuary, Conservation Reserve and Community Reserve — the last two introduced by the 2002 amendment.
• Exam pointer: if an authority's name contains "Coastal", "Pollution" or "Environment", it almost certainly derives from the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, or the Water/Air Acts, not from the Wildlife Act.