Odisha government bans taking selfies with scheduled animals

Bhubaneswar: In a significant move, perhaps a first in the country, the wildlife wing of the Odisha government on Friday made taking selfies and photographs with scheduled wild animal species, their carcasses, body parts and trophies a punishable offense under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Declared.

The Act, which has a provision of punishment of up to seven years, is aimed at preventing people from taking selfies and photographs with wild animals, which, apart from violating the provisions of the 1972 Act, has proved fatal for persons in many cases, the senior Said forest officer of wildlife wing.
In this regard, a letter from PCCF Wildlife and Chief Wildlife Warden Sushant Nanda to all Divisional Forest Officers, Similipal South and North Divisions and Deputy Directors of Nandankanan Zoological Park underlined that people will have to upload their photographs and selfies taken with the scheduled wild animals. Posting on social media. ,
Such an act not only disrupts the normal life cycle of the animals but is also a violation of the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, under which the person concerned can be punished with imprisonment of up to seven years.
The PCCF further said that photographs or selfies posted on social media with dead wild animals or body parts or trophies of wild animals are also a violation of Section 39 (1) (a) of the Wildlife Protection Act and a punishable offence.
In its letter to DFO and Deputy Directors of Protected Habitats regarding strict implementation of the order, PCCF Wildlife asked the forest range staff to arrest unscrupulous elements, people trying to gain fame by violating the laws of the land and further Asked to increase. them in the court of law. Forest officials were asked to spread awareness among people and stop them from taking photographs and selfies with scheduled wildlife species.
The forest department underlined that any person wishing to take photographs of wild animals should follow the applicable laws and guidelines with permission from forest officials for the purpose. DFOs and Deputy Directors have been asked to display helpline numbers at prominent places and on social media to facilitate information sharing.