"Vermin" : Killing of Wild Animals in India

1) Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to an animal species declared as "vermin"?

a) These animals are listed in schedule 5 of The Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.
b) These animals can not be hunted.
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

2) Which of the following states and the animal species recently declared as "vermin" in that state is/are correctly matched?

i) Bihar : Nilgai Antelope
ii) Maharashtra : Wild Buffalo
iii) Himachal Pradesh: Rhesus Macaque
iv) Uttarakhand : Wild Boar

a) i, ii, iii and iv
b) ii, iii and iv only
c) ii and iii only
d) i only

3) Which of the following animal species has been listed for culling in all the states (except Himachal Pradesh) because its population is allegedly increasing and damaging crops?

a) Wild Pig
b) Nilgai Antelope
c) Rhesus Macaque
d) Wild Buffalo

4) Which of the following is the correct procedure for declaring an animal species as vermin?

i) Data collection by State Forest department.
ii) Vetting of the data by the State Wildlife Board.
iii) Recommendation to the Central government.
iv) Dispatching a team of the concerned Ministry to the State
v) Permission to declare specific bird and animals as vermin for a specified time and area.

a) ii, i, iii, iv and v
b) iv, i, ii, iii and v
c) i, ii, iv, iii and v
d) i, ii, iii, iv and v

5) Who of the following is empowered to authorize hunters to cull animals in a region where they are a proven nuisance?

a) Chairman of State Wildlife Board.
b) Union Minister of Environment and Forest.
c) Chief Wildlife Warden of state/UT
d) None of the above.

Answers

1) a , Crows and Fruit Bat fall in Schedule 5 of  The Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972. Once declared vermin, that particular species (specific bird or animal) can be hunted without restriction. Those who kill these animals will not be subject to the jail terms and fines that hunting of these animals typically invite.

2) b, Nilgai Antelope in Maharashtra. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change (MoEFCC) is empowered to declare an animal species as "vermin" in a particular state or region though for a specific period only.

3) a

4) d

5) c , As per The Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.

Reference : The Hindu Link