According to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which of the following animals cannot be hunted by any person except under some provisions provided by law ?
- 1.Gharial
- 2.Indian wild ass
- 3.Wild buffalo
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
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Answer: D. Section 9 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 bars hunting of any wild animal listed in Schedules I to IV, except as allowed under Sections 11 and 12. The gharial, the Indian wild ass and the wild buffalo were all in Schedule I. So none of them can be hunted except as the law allows. So 1, 2 and 3 (as of 2017; the 2022 amendment cut the schedules to four, and these animals are still protected).
Watch for: Watch for the wild buffalo. Students take it as a common animal, but the wild water buffalo is endangered and in Schedule I.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because the wild ass and wild buffalo are also Schedule I animals.
- B. Wrong because the gharial is also a Schedule I animal.
- C. Wrong because the Indian wild ass is also a Schedule I animal.
Source to check: Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Section 9 and Schedule I (indiacode.nic.in); MoEFCC (moef.gov.in)
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.