The Coexistence Collective, a group of environment organisations in the State have condemned the proposed Kerala Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on grounds that it is anti-science, anti-conservation, and anti-people, and creates false assurances to the public while destroying institutional safeguards and biodiversity.

The collective is backed by a slew of organisations including the Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samithi, Keralathile Vanyatha, Green Movement, Save Nelliyampathy Campaign, Fire Free Forest Campaign, Nilambur Nature Education Centre, Munnar Environment and Wildlife Society, Environment Protection and Research Council, Wildlife Protection and Conservation Group, Green Protectors Collective and Voice for Integrity and Rights and Indigenous Yards for Animals, besides noted environmentalists such as E. Kunhikrishnan and S. Unnikrishnan.

The Coexistence Collective, in a press release on Monday (September 15, 2025), alleged that the government, by bypassing scientific studies, expert consultation, the statutory role of the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), and even binding judicial precedent of the Kerala High Court (2024), is making a mockery of law, governance, and environmental responsibility.

Unrestricted power

The collective feels that the proposal to give the CWW unrestricted power to immediately order the killing of any wild animal alleged to have injured a human being ignores the possibility of mistaken identity, encourages indiscriminate killings of endangered species and bypasses existing safeguards in the Wildlife Act and National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, which mandate attempts at capture, tranquilisation, and relocation before resorting to lethal force.

"The Bill will open doors to mass killings under local political pressure, collapse of ecological balance and violation of India's commitments under global biodiversity conventions," it says. It also alleges that the policymakers have ignored the root causes of the conflict, which are habitat destruction, quarrying, deforestation, and unregulated land use.

Hence it has called upon the Kerala government to withdraw the Bill, which it deems regressive, immediately. It has also called upon civil society, environmentalists, and the public to oppose the government narrative.

"The official statement that the Central law and guidelines are 'impractical' and 'delay action' is false and misleading. These safeguards exist to ensure that human safety and conservation duties are balanced. By portraying them as obstacles, the government is confusing the public and creating fear, only to justify short-term populist actions," the collective says.

"It is deeply disturbing that the Bill is not based on any scientific study, ecological survey, or credible data. No recognised biologists, research institutions, or established conservation NGOs have been consulted," the release says and calls upon policymakers to focus on science-based solutions, habitat restoration, and coexistence strategies instead of populist shortcuts.

Environmental forum terms Kerala's Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025 unscientific