Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

The Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 is a set of laws created in 1972 by the Government of India. Before 1972, India had only five national parks.
The Act protects wild animals, a birds and plants in all of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir, which has its own wildlife act. It has six sections that give different degrees of protection. Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide complete protection. Offences under these are given the highest penalty. Species listed in Schedule III and Schedule IV are also protected, but the penalties are much lower. Schedule V includes the animals that can be hunted. The plants in Schedule VI are prohibited from harvesting and planting.