The Silent Sentinel: Conservation Crisis of the Indian Grey Wolf
- vidyarthee2021
- May 13
- 2 min read
The Indian grey wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), an elusive predator of India’s grasslands, is increasingly facing existential threats—both old and new. A recent case from Maharashtra’s Kadbanwadi grassland highlights a new challenge: dog attacks adding pressure to this already endangered subspecies.
About the Indian Grey Wolf
Subspecies: It is a distinct subspecies of the Grey Wolf, ranging from Southwest Asia to the Indian subcontinent.
Habitat: Prefers arid and semi-arid grasslands and open plains—an ecosystem fast disappearing due to human activities.
Behavioral Traits:
Moves in smaller packs compared to other wolf species.
Less vocal than its northern counterparts, relying more on stealth and strategy.
Plays a top predator role in its ecosystem, controlling herbivore populations and maintaining balance.
Protection Status and Threats
Legal Protection: Listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, providing it the highest degree of protection.
Key Threats:
Habitat Loss: Ongoing conversion of grasslands for agriculture and industrial use.
Prey Depletion: Reduction in natural prey like blackbuck and hare due to shrinking ecosystems.
Disease and Competition: Feral and domestic dogs pose risks through attacks and transmission of diseases like canine distemper.
Neglected Conservation Priority: Unlike charismatic species like the tiger or elephant, the wolf rarely features in mainstream conservation discourse.
UPSC-Relevant Insights
The Indian grey wolf’s decline reflects broader policy gaps in grassland ecosystem conservation, which remain underrepresented in India’s wildlife management strategies.
India’s grasslands are not classified as forests and hence receive limited legal protection, making species like the wolf and the Great Indian Bustard highly vulnerable.
Wildlife conservation needs to go beyond forest-centric thinking and consider non-forested biomes.
UPSC Prelims Question
Consider the following statements about the Indian Grey Wolf:
It is commonly found in dense forests of the Western Ghats.
It is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Dog attacks and disease transmission are emerging threats to its survival.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Indian Grey Wolves prefer open grasslands and arid plains, not dense forests.
Statements 2 and 3 are correct: It is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, and dog attacks are a newly observed emerging threat.
UPSC Mains Question
Q. Grasslands are one of the most neglected ecosystems in India’s conservation policy framework. Discuss with reference to the threats faced by the Indian grey wolf. (GS Paper 3)
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