Protection of Wildlife and Conservation of Natural Areas Law. (The State Law and Order Restoration Council Law No. 6/94).

The objectives of this Law, consisting of XII Chapters, are as follows: (a) to implement the Government policy for wildlife protection; (b) to implement the Government policy for natural areas conservation; (c) to carry out in accordance with the International Conventions acceded by the State in respect of the protection and conservation of wildlife, ecosystems and migratory birds; (d) to protect endangered species of wildlife and their natural habitats; (e) to contribute for the development of research on natural science; (f) to protect wildlife by the establishment of zoological gardens and botanical gardens. This Law provides for the protection of wildlife and wild plants of the Government, for the conservation of natural areas, for the preservation of wild life and wild plants and their habitats, etc. The Government shall form a Committee for the Protection of Wild Life and Wild Plants and Conservation of Natural Areas (Chapter III). Categories of natural areas are listed in article 7. The Minister may determine natural areas according to the categories and establish zoological and botanical gardens. The Forest Department shall carry out functions and duties according to the category of natural area as follows: preservation to enable the conduct of research on natural evolution system within the scientific nature reserve; preservation of living and non-living organisms, etc.; preservation of naturally bred animals and coral reefs, planktons, etc. and wild life breeding along the coast; preservation of species of rare wild plants; communicating and cooperating with international organizations for the preservation of wild life, etc. The Director General shall declare according to the categories of wild life (art. 15) which are to be protected from the danger of extinction and carry out measures for the preservation of protected wild life and wild plants. The Director General may grant a hunting licence. Any person who wants to operate a zoological garden or botanical garden has to obtain a licence. The remaining part of the Law contains penal provisions and provisions of miscellaneous nature.
This Law is divided as follows: Title and Definition (Chap. I); Objectives (Chap. II); Formation Of the Committee and Functions and Duties Thereof (Chap. III); Determination of Natural Areas and Establishment of Zoological Garden and Botanical Gardens (Chap. IV); Protected Wildlife (Chap. V); Hunting (Chap. VI); Right to Establish Zoological Garden and Botanical Garden (Chap. VII); Registration (Chap. VIII); Taking Administrative Action (Chap. IX); Appeal (Chap. X); Offences arid Penalties (Chap. XI); Miscellaneous (Chap. XII). This Law establishes the categories of natural areas are as follows:- (a) Scientific Reserve; (b) National Park; (c) Marine National Park; (d) Nature Reserve; (e) Wildlife Sanctuary; (f) Geo-physically Significant Reserve; (g) other Nature Reserve determined by the Minister.