Meghalaya Wild Animals And Birds Protection Act, 1971
No: 9 Dated: Aug, 05 1971
THE MEGHALAYA WILD ANIMALS AND BIRDS PROTECTION ACT, 1971
ACT 9 OF 1971
An Act to provide for the better protection and preservation of certain wild animals and birds. Be it enacted by the Legislature of Meghalaya in the Twenty-second Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. Short title and commencement:- (1) This Act may be called Meghalaya Wild Animals and Birds Protection Act, 1971.
(2) It shall come into force immediately.
2. Definitions:- In this Act unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context:-
(a) “animal or bird” includes the young one of the animal or bird, as the case may be;
(b) “Forest Officer” means any person appointed by name or holding an office by or under the orders of the Government to be the Conservator, Deputy Conservator, Assistant Conservator, Extra Assistant Conservator, Deputy Forest Ranger, Forest Ranger, Forester or Forest Guard, or to discharge any function of a Forest Officer;
(c) “Government” means Government of Meghalaya;
(d) “Game” means any animal or bird to which this Act applies;
(e) “Hunt” means any animal or bird to which this Act applies;
(f) “Meat” includes fat, blood, flesh and bones;
(g) “Trophy” means the durable part of an animal or bird specified in the Schedule which has been preserved by any means, whether natural or artificial, and includes the head or horn, tooth, tusk, bone, claw, hoof, skin, hair, feather, eggs or nest of any bird, but does not include any article manufactured from any such part of the animal or bird as aforesaid
3. Application of Act:- (1) This Act applies, in the first instance, to the animals and birds specified in the Schedule, when in their wild state.
(2) The Government may, by notification, apply the provisions of this act to any kind of wild animal or bird; other than those specified in the Schedule, which in its opinion it is desirable to protect or preserve.
4. Domesticated and other animals and birds in captivity exempted:- Nothing in this Act shall apply to domesticated or other animals or birds which are lawfully captured and kept in captivity.
5. Close time:- The Government may, by notification, declare the whole year or any part thereof to be a close time throughout the whole or any part of Meghalaya for any kind of wild animal or bird to which this Act applies, or for female or immature wild animals or birds of such kind and subject to the provision hereinafter contained, during such close time, and within the area specified in such notification, it shall be unlawful:-
(a) to capture any such animal or bird, or to kill or injure any such animal or bird which has not been captured before the commencement of such close time;
(b) to hunt for any game during such close time;
(c) to sell or buy, or offer to sell or buy, or to possess any such animal or bird which has not been captured or killed before the commencement of such close time, or the meat thereof;
(d) to sell or buy, or to offer to sell or to buy or the possess any trophy of such animal or bird captured or killed during such close time.