Amendments to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 were made by the union government in December 2022. These amendments resulted in an increase in the animal species protected by the WPA, while also increasing the penalty manifold. Against this background, it is argued that the criminal–legal framework of wildlife conservation established by the WPA is rooted in Brahminical environmentalism. The WPA will further strengthen the web of criminalisation around forest-dependent livelihoods, predominantly affecting forest-dwelling communities.
