Dispeling the confidence that wolves are one of the species of predators hiding around man-dominated spaces, leading to conflict, the initial effects of an examination of 8 wolf radio collars in the meadows of Vidarbha and western Maharashtra have shown that the species attempts man-dominated spaces as much as possible.
Bilal Habib and his team of researchers from the Indian Wildlife Institute (WII), Dehradun, and members of grasslands Trust, Pune, have opposed land-use patterns, movements, habitat selection, hunting and dispersal patterns of sub-adults and threats. Indian grey wolf, since 2018.
Repair of Global Positioning System (GPS) collars on 8 other people in December 2018 helped researchers assess their effects over a three-year period. “The most surprising thing we’ve found is the way wolves seek to avoid spaces with the highest density of human use. The main spaces of use of the wolf are without human presence,” Habib said, adding that these species are not identifiable through any tendency in their bodies (unlike big cats), do not notice the day and are very elusive. “Their sophisticated behavior made it difficult for us to photograph them seamlessly in photo traps. The concept is to preserve the latter breeding population of Indian gray wolves in the meadows of the Deccan Plateau in Maharashtra. We want a concrete policy for the conservation of this species and make sure that it does not faint,” Habib added.
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The Indian grey wolf is located under Annex I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. As a subspecies of the gray wolf, it is discovered in much of the Indian peninsula, in the undergrowth, grasslands, arid and semi-arid spaces of the subcontinent. Lately, the species is limited to portions of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Karnataka. According to the International Wolf Center, there are about 400 to 1,100 wolves living in the Himalayan region and 4,000 to 6,000 wolves in the peninsular region.
The preliminary effects of this three-year review showed that the land-use style for adult couples differed considerably, even at the regional level, depending on the availability of food and water. One of the subadulta women moved 80 km from the territory of her house and settled in a “We also discovered that den sites play a role in the life of wolves. Protecting plots of land used as dens would stimulate conservation efforts,” Habib said.
The 3 stages in question of wolf necklaces in the deciduous rainforests and grasslands of the districts of Ahmednagar, Solapur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Chandrapur. While wolves of other ages and giant herds were equipped with necklaces to be more informed about their ecology, frame measurements and blood samples were taken from radio collars for further studies before release.
Among the threats, they discovered that dogs in the wild and, in some cases, leopards competed with wolves for habitat dominance, while cases of poisoning were reported in retaliation for the slaughter of livestock in the prairie landscape.
“The Deccan Plateau (Maharashtra) is the last breeding population of this connected species in the world. Although they have the highest priority for coverage in terms of law, these animals and their habitat are still ignored by policy makers. We want a strong government initiative to maintain its future,” said Mihir Godbole, a member of Prado Confianza, Pune, who recently released a video of the findings of the founding study.
The final effects of this are expected until mid-2021, Habib said.
According to 2017 through the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and WII, habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, retaliatory killings related to disease threats have left Indian wolves extinct; however, very few studies have been conducted to better perceive the species and it is still perceived that animals cause conflict by attacking and raising livestock in man-dominated landscapes.
Independent experts have stated that animal behavior is based on many points and perceptions. “The repertoire of behavior of any species evolves with conditions and circumstances. Studies (such as WII) want to be conducted periodically and the effects want to be validated several times to further perceive the effects,” said Dr. VB Mathur, former director of WII, adding that the maximum predatory animals are at a respectable distance from humans until they are provoked or confronted.
Dr. Mathur explained that other people’s first average reaction to elephants would be to appreciate, bow and greet the animal as worshipped in Indian culture. “However, a wolf or a snake evokes another answer. Therefore, when we communicate about threats to these species, it is due to the preconceived human behavior that animal behavior makes them an additional threat. Combined with this is folklore, some of which would possibly be true, while others may not. concerned, the symbol of this animal in the eyes of an average human is that of a hostile type,” he said, adding, “As a kind of landscape, the most productive strategy for the wolf would be to avoid human presence. Over time, despite our belief in the threat, grasslands will have to be preserved for their safety, and the belief that these habitats are wastelands will have to change. “
THE INDIAN GREY WOLF
Indian gray wolves resemble the domestic dog breed (German Shepherds or Huskies) in appearance, but they have a giant skull and giant teeth, which sets them apart from other very similar dogs. According to taxonomic studies, there are 32 subspecies of gray wolf in the world, with the Tibetan and Indian wolf in India. Indian wolves have yellowish-brown fur interspersed with black. Their coat color is usually lighter in summer. Studies estimate that they can relentlessly travel at a speed of 8 km / h and run at speeds of 55 to 70 km / h. Its average length varies from 103 to 145 cm, males weigh more (19-25 kg) than females (17-22 kg) while adults are prominent from juveniles through white markings on the eyes, chin and down the throat. The Femen have a gestation age of 62 to 63 days with a disorder of two to six individuals. The mating season takes place in October and November, while the dispersal age for a young adult is 18 months. “Across Maharashtra, the majority of the wolf population is found outdoors in protected areas and relies heavily on livestock, allowing for the potential for conflict, especially the herding community, but in this case we found that their hunting, dispersal and habitat were a problem. risk to them, ”Habib said.
(Source: Wildlife Institute of India and Central Zoo Authority)
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