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Supreme Court Seeks Centre Reply on Plea Over Feral Dog Attacks on Snow Leopards
- •The Supreme Court agreed to hear a plea seeking guidelines from the Centre to manage feral, free-ranging, and domestic dogs in wildlife areas.
- •The petition was filed by the Bombay Natural History Society and others, highlighting severe threats to endangered species like snow leopards and great Indian bustards.
- •A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Aparesh Kumar Singh issued notices to the Centre, National Board for Wildlife, and Animal Welfare Board of India, scheduling the next hearing for November 17.
- •The plea accuses the government of failing to frame guidelines within the stipulated timeline despite an earlier assurance given to the apex court.
- •Petitioners are seeking measures such as regular monitoring, geo-tagging, sterilisation, and the scientific management of dogs invading protected forests.
Key Questions Answered
The Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre, National Board for Wildlife, and Animal Welfare Board of India on a petition seeking guidelines for managing feral and free-ranging dogs in protected wildlife areas. The plea highlights threats to endangered species like snow leopards and great Indian bustards.
The petition notes that free-ranging and feral dogs pose severe threats to native wildlife, including Schedule I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, such as snow leopards, chinkaras, leopard cats, great Indian bustards, and olive ridley turtles.
The petitioners sought to declare Rules 11 and 3(ii) of Schedule II of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, unconstitutional, arguing they violate Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution by failing to protect endangered wildlife from feral dog attacks.
