The Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), one of the oldest wolf lineages, has been declared ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN, with only about 2,877–3,310 mature individuals left. Research led by Indian scientists found major populations in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. However, rapid habitat loss, persecution, and hybridisation with feral dogs threaten its survival. This classification highlights the urgent need for conservation and legal protection of India’s shrinking grassland ecosystems.
The Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) is one of the most ancient wolf subspecies. It plays a vital role as an apex predator in India’s grasslands by controlling herbivore populations and preventing overgrazing.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed the Indian wolf as ‘Vulnerable’ on its Red List of Threatened Species, indicating a high risk of extinction in the wild.
As per the IUCN assessment (2023–2024), only about 2,877 to 3,310 mature Indian wolves survive in the wild.
The main causes are habitat loss due to agriculture and infrastructure, human persecution, diseases, and genetic mixing with feral dogs. Grasslands, the wolf’s primary habitat, are disappearing rapidly.
Researchers identified Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan as key habitats that together host nearly half of India’s wolf population, mostly in semi-arid grasslands and scrublands.
In Maharashtra’s Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, the wolf population fell by over 41% between 2007 and 2023—an annual decline of about 3.1%.
The study was led by Indian scientists Dr. Shaheer Khan and Dr. Bilal Habib of the Wildlife Institute of India, in collaboration with Dr. Yadvendradev Jhala and other ecologists.
This recognition is expected to bring stronger legal protection, increased research funding, and focused conservation policy for a species long overlooked in wildlife protection efforts.
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