NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment rejected two demands put forward by Kerala, including the request to declare wild boar as vermin. Union Minister for Forest and Environment Bhupendra Yadav clarified that wild boar will not be declared vermin and in addition said that Kerala's demand to shift monkeys to Schedule II cannot be considered.

The union minister also clarified that tiger and elephant will remain on the protected list. The main demands submitted by Kerala seeking amendments to the Wildlife Protection Act were to declare the wild boar as vermin and to shift the monkey from Schedule I to Schedule II.

Meanwhile, the Union Minister sharply criticized Kerala over the surge in wildlife conflict as he blamed the Kerala government for not exercising their rights unlike in other states. Bhupendra Yadav said that panchayats have permission to cull wild boars that pose a danger to human life. He pointed out that the state government was at fault in the Nilambur youth's death.