I summarize the preliminary results of the long-term research project of WII on Indian wolves. Our genetic work has shown that three maternal wolf lineages exist in the Indian Sub-Continent, two of these; the peninsular and Himalayan lineages, are ancient and unique to India. The Indian wolf (peninsular lineage) inhabits semi-arid agro-pastoral landscapes and scrub forests. It is considered endangered with its numbers believed to range between 2000-3000 individuals. Intensive radio-telemetry studies on 10 wolf packs at three sites differing in habitat, prey composition, and socio-economies has shown that undisturbed habitat patches of 6-12 km2, that offer good cover and water are critical for successful breeding in established packs. Wolf territories range between 150 to 250 km2 and are a function of prey and denning habitat availability. Indian wolves whelp in December-January in an underground den excavated by the alpha pair. Mean litter size was 4.8 pups. Juvenile wolves can disperse from their natal pack after the age of 8 months. Predation on blackbuck by wolves and jackals was found to have a regulatory role in the Bhal ecosystem. Majority of the wolf populations in India survive outside of protected areas and subsist primarily on livestock. In some areas wolves have been reported to attack children. A common factor in such areas is high human population, poverty, low or heavily guarded livestock, and poor wild prey availability. Human-wolf conflicts are of serious magnitude over much of the wolf’s range in India. Wolves are persecuted by smoking pups in their dens, sometimes by shooting and recently by poisoning. Distemper and rabies caused severe mortality in wolves in certain years in the Bhal and Kutch, but wolf populations were found to be resilient to diseases and normal human persecution (without the use of poison). Major threat to the continued survival of wolves in India is persecution by poison, and loss of denning habitat to intensive agriculture, development, and industry.

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