Conservation of Biodiversity and Protected Areas Law.

The objectives of this Law include: (a) to implement biodiversity strategy and policy of the Country; (b) to implement the Government policy for conservation of Protected Areas policy of the Country; (c) to carry out protection and conservation of wildlife, wild plants, ecosystems and migratory animals in accordance with International Conventions agreed by the Country; (d) to regulate trade of wildlife and wild plants or their parts, derivatives or products; (e) to protect geo‐physically unique areas, endangered wildlife and wild plants and their natural habitats; (f) to contribute to natural scientific research and environmental education activities; (g) to protect wildlife and wild plants by establishing zoological and botanical gardens.
Chapter III provides for the National Steering Committee for Biodiversity and Protected Areas and duties thereof, including: (a) to implement biodiversity strategy and policy of the Country; (b) to implement the Government policy for conservation of Protected Areas policy of the Country; (c) to carry out protection and conservation of wildlife, wild plants, ecosystems and migratory animals in accordance with International Conventions agreed by the Country; etc. Chapter IV provides for the designation of protected areas and establishment of zoological Gardens and botanical gardens. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation may designate Protected Areas and establish Zoological Gardens and Botanical Gardens. The Ministry shall form a Supervisory Body including the local public to supervise each zoological garden or botanical garden.
Chapter V deals with the protected wild animals and wild plants. The Forest Department shall declare the following categories of endangered wild animals needed to protect from extinction, in accordance with the necessity of the State: (i) completely protected wild animals; (ii) normally protected wild animals; (iii) seasonally protected wild animals. The Director General of the Forest Department may, with the approval of the Minister: (a) allow, by stipulating conditions, internal or foreign Government Departments, Government Organizations, Non‐Government Organizations or an individual person, who is granted for research, to capture, transport and possess completely protected wild animals or animals regulated for international trade, for the purpose of scientific research; (b) allow person who has been permitted to conduct research to collect, transport and possess protected wild plants from the Protected Areas by an individual for the purpose of scientific research including experiment and reproduction. The Director General may grant a hunting license, by stipulating conditions, to a person to hunt any wild animals, other than completely protected wild animals and wild animals within protected area. The Law further makes provisions for registration, inspection, offences and penalties, etc.