UPSC 2022: With reference to Indian laws about wildlife protection, consider the following statements: 1. Wild animals are the sole property of the government. 2. When a wild animal is declared protected, such animal is entitled for equal protection whether it is found in protected areas or outside. 3. Apprehension of a protected wild animal becoming a danger to human life is sufficient ground for its capture or killing. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Section 39 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 declares every wild animal to be government property, so statement 1 is right ([unodc.org](https://www.unodc.org/cld/en/legislation/ind/the_wildlife_protection_act_1972/chapter_v/article_39-49.html?utm_source=openai)). Once a species is listed (e.g., Schedule I sea cucumbers), it enjoys the same legal protection inside or outside protected areas, validating statement 2 ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._K.K._Mohammed_Koya_Sea_Cucumber_Conservation_Reserve?utm_source=openai)). Section 11 allows capture/kill only when the Chief Wildlife Warden is satisfied that the animal *has become* dangerous (or is incurably diseased) and other options like capture are impracticable; mere apprehension is insufficient, so statement 3 is wrong ([unodc.org](https://www.unodc.org/cld/zh/legislation/ind/the_wildlife_protection_act_1972/chapter_iii/article_9_11-12.html?utm_source=openai)).