About Indian Grey Wolf
- The Indian Grey Wolf is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf found in the Indian subcontinent and Southwest Asia.
- Habitat: Prefers scrublands, semi-arid grasslands, and pastoral agro-ecosystems.
- Behavior: Generally nocturnal, hunts in small packs and is less vocal than other wolf subspecies.
- Appearance: Intermediate in size between the Tibetan and Arabian wolves, but lacks a thick winter coat due to adaptation to warmer climates.
- Distribution: From Israel in the west to the Indian subcontinent in the east.
Legal Protection and Forest Rules
- The Indian grey wolf is protected under:
- IUCN Red List: Least Concern, but considered locally endangered in India due to sharp population decline.
- CITES: Appendix I, indicating species threatened with extinction.
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Listed in Schedule I, providing the highest degree of protection in India.
- Maharashtra Forest Rules, 2014 allow the removal or elimination of trespassing animals (dogs) from reserve forests if they threaten wildlife.
- However, Forest officials hesitate to cull dogs due to animal rights concerns, considering vaccination as an alternative, though logistically difficult.
- The case highlights the complex human-animal-domestic dog interface, a rising concern in India’s open and agro-ecosystem habitats.
- It is a key example of emerging zoonotic threats (e.g., canine distemper virus) and genetic dilution through hybridisation.
Kadbanwadi Grassland, Maharashtra
- Located in Indapur tehsil, Pune, the Kadbanwadi grassland spans over 2,000 hectares and supports species such as the Bengal fox, striped hyena, Brahminy kite, and Indian grey wolf.
- The shepherd community has traditionally shared a symbiotic relationship with wolves for generations.
