Status Survey of Indian Grey Wolf (<i>Canis lupus pallipes</i>) in West Bengal and some part of Jharkhand

Abstract

Indian Grey wolf Canis lupus pallipes is one of the major carnivores of semi-arid regions of eastern India especially in the regions of southern west Bengal and Jharkhand. The present study was conducted in three districts of west Bengal i.e., Purulia, Bankura and Midnapore and Dalma part of Jharkhand state India, to evaluate the current status of Canis lupus pallipes. The overall weighted mean encounter rate from the present study was found to be 0.05 and 0.07, 0.08 and 0.06 form Purulia, Bankura and west Midnapore respectively and in study landscape, wolfs are found to prefer dry deciduous scrub and open field. During total field survey 11 individuals of wolfs are being sighted along with 23 pugmarks and 5 dens were observed, of which 3 dens were near to agriculture field and rest are in rocky areas specially in Jhaldha region. However dens are found to be in close proximity to human and agricultural settlement near Mechachua (Midnapore) and Sutan and Khata-Am areas (Bankura). Natural prey base for grey wolf in the study area includes Hares about 88.57% followed by Deer/Wild boar and Jungle fowl comprising about 4.28% and 7.14% respectively. Results suggests, very often wolves attack the domestic animals as they are fully dependent on domestic livestock due to the decline of natural prey species. Present study revealed that wolf population in the study area is largely fragmented and few packs of the species have occupied agro-forest landscape of Ranibandh (Bankura) and Jhalda (Purulia) zones than other zones.