Bill passed to empower state to capture, relocate leopards

The proposed amendment will empower the state government to capture and relocate leopards from one area to another – an action that today requires prior approval from the central government

MUMBAI: Amid a surge in the population of leopards and an escalation in the number of man-animal conflicts in various parts of the state, the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday approved the Wildlife Protection (Maharashtra Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking to introduce changes to the central Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Bill passed to empower state to capture, relocate leopards

The bill however will come into effect only after receiving the President’s assent, as it proposes changes to a central law.

The proposed amendment will empower the state government to capture and relocate leopards from one area to another – an action that today requires prior approval from the central government. While presenting the bill, and in the course of debate over the proposal in the assembly, state forest minister Ganesh Naik clarified that the proposed changes do not permit hunting of leopards and are aimed solely at better management to reduce man-animal conflict.

The bill has introduced an amendment in Section 12 which allows the chief wildlife warden authority to capture and relocate any wild animal to an alternative suitable habitat with prior permission from the central government. Naik added that the move was also not an attempt to downgrade the status of leopards from Schedule I (reserved for endangered species) to Schedule II (reserved for the less critically endangered).

He gave this assurance responding to a question raised by Shiv Sena legislator Aaditya Thackeray who expressed concern over downgrading the legal protection of the animal from “highest protection to lowest protection”.

Thackeray urged the government to refer the bill to a select committee for detailed scrutiny rather than passing it in haste. He also asked for a comprehensive “leopard management programme” involving scientific intervention, expert committees and coordination with the Centre; and sought assurances that no hunting permits would be allowed with focus put only on relocation and conservation.

In response, Naik reiterated that the purpose of the bill is not to change the classification of leopards, and that the amendment would not allow permission to hunt.

“It is important to relocate them urgently to prevent a man-animal conflict. The process of seeking permission from the Centre causes bureaucratic delays,” he said, while tabling the bill in the House. He added that the proposed change would vest that authority with the state government, and that even after approval, the bill will require clearance from the council, the Governor and the President’s assent.

Naik warned that failure to act now may lead to the situation spiralling out of control, noting that leopards have already been sighted in areas such as Malad, Palghar and Uran.

Naik also highlighted that the growing leopard population gives the government the opportunity to plan leopard safari in every district of the state, such as western Maharashtra, Konkan, Marathwada and Khandesh. “These facilities would be securely managed and may include other species as well, with the primary aim of preventing leopards from straying into human settlements,” said Naik.