Tamil Nadu Forest Department Faces Backlog of 2,000 Exotic Pet Applications

Around 2,000 applications seeking registration of exotic animals are currently pending before Tamil Nadu's Chief Wildlife Warden in Chennai, as the Forest Department grapples with high demand, administrative portal transitions, and an acute lack of dedicated holding facilities.

The backlog before the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW), the final authority in the State's approval process, is compounded by an even higher volume of applications awaiting initial scrutiny at the district level.

Under the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, the possession of animals covered under Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act must be formally reported and registered. Breeders of exotic animals are also required to secure permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden. The statutory procedure entails document scrutiny, inquiry, and physical inspection of facilities before any registration certificate is issued.

A senior Forest Department official confirmed the heavy volume of applications, stating that the backlog is partly tied to the transition from the PARIVESH 1.0 portal to PARIVESH 2.0. Several applicants had registered on the earlier portal, and officials are assessing whether those entries will be migrated or if applicants will need to reapply. The official added that rising public demand for exotic wildlife remains a major factor behind the influx.

Rakesh Kumar Dogra, Chief Wildlife Warden, said that scrutinising and approving applications remains a complex and detailed process. The procedure frequently requires verifying information with Forest Departments in other States, particularly for species listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). He noted that files are being processed according to prescribed norms.

Alongside application delays, conservationists have highlighted the absence of dedicated State infrastructure to quarantine and house exotic wildlife seized by enforcement agencies. Animal welfare activist and conservationist Shravan Krishnan explained that unlike native species, seized exotic animals cannot be released into local habitats and require secure holding spaces while their provenance, ownership, and legal status are determined.

The shortage of holding facilities recently became a concern during an ongoing investigation in Erode involving exotic animals, which surfaced after a video emerged of actor Vikram playing with a Lar Gibbon at the residence of Chennai businessman C.K. Ranganathan. Conservationists warned that processing backlogs and inadequate shelter infrastructure together threaten the effective regulation and enforcement of exotic wildlife trade across the State.