Register Your Exotic Pet in Madhya Pradesh or Face Legal Consequences

Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department is clamping down on illegally owned exotic pets – owning an unregistered exotic or endangered pet can lead to serious legal consequences.

With an amendment to wildlife protection laws, the Forest Department all owners of any animals listed under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) must register their exotic pets with the Government by August 31, 2024, or face severe legal action according to officials. 

The amendment of Section 49M of Wildlife (Protection) Act was notified in Feb 2024. It concerns the regulation and tracing of exotic pets, with those who register being required to comply with strict rules regarding ownership, birth, death, and transfer of such animals. 

Many pet owners are unaware that their pet is a rare or endangered animal and must be registered. African Grey Parrots, pythons, and red-footed tortoises must all be registered. The CITES portal can be checked to see if your pet is an exotic animal and requires registration. 

While the deadline may be fast approaching, only six applications have been submitted, even though there are thousands of CITES-listed animals in Madhya Pradesh according to officials. This registration gap leaves room for a potentially illegal marketplace where these rare and endangered animals are traded. 

The amendment focuses on Appendix I of CITES, which highlights how endangered and protected species face the highest risk of extinction due to illegal international trade. It also introduced the Parivesh 2.0 portal for exotic pet registration. Owners must register their pets and provide details of birth, transfer, and death. For example, if your pet is a rare bird and it lays an egg, it must be reported.