Document Portal -- Government of Kerala

Government Expands Authority of Empanelled Shooters to Control Wild Boar Menace Across the State

The government has issued an order expanding the scope of operations of shooters included in the panel approved by local self-government bodies to shoot and kill wild boars that cause extensive damage to agriculture, human life, and property in populated areas. From now on, shooters included in the panel approved by any local self-government body will be permitted to operate anywhere across the state as required, without being restricted by local body or district boundaries.

The Forest and Wildlife (D) Department has taken this significant decision based on the recommendation submitted by the Chief Wildlife Warden. Earlier, the services of empanelled shooters were limited to the jurisdiction of the respective local self-government bodies. Under the new order, their services can now be utilised throughout the state, irrespective of local or district boundaries. The only requirement is that the shooter's name must be included in the panel of approved shooters prepared by any local self-government body. In addition, the tenure of the honorary wildlife warden authority granted to the chairpersons of local self-government bodies to order the shooting of wild boars has been extended until May 27, 2027.

This order will enable authorities to quickly deploy shooters from nearby or other regions whenever wild boar infestation becomes severe in an area where local shooters are unavailable. Farmers will benefit from faster intervention to address the widespread destruction caused by wild boars in agricultural fields. Timely action will also help prevent accidents and loss of life resulting from wild boar attacks in populated areas. By removing the technical barriers and delays previously caused by local jurisdictional restrictions, wildlife conflict mitigation efforts are expected to become more effective. This marks an important step toward providing much-needed relief to farmers and the general public in hilly, coastal, and rural areas affected by wild boar infestation.

07-08-2026