Canid Biology & Conservation Journal · vol. 24 issue 4 · 2022 [PDF]
Distribution Update

First photographic record of Indian wolf in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand, North India

Anubhuti Krishna, Samrat Mondol, Salvador Lyngdoh

Abstract

We report the photo capture of wolves from Rajaji National Park and Tiger Reserve in the Northern state of Uttarakhand, India. A total of five photographs were recorded from the protected area providing the first conclusive evidence of wolves here. The wolves were identified as belonging to the peninsular Indian wolf lineage, Canis lupus pallipes. With the current record, the state of Uttarakhand now hosts both lineages of wolves, i.e., the Himalayan (C. l. chanco) as well as the Indian subspecies. We suggest regular monitoring and intensive study of the species to better understand this new documentation in an area with no previous such records as this may be an instance of distributional extension

Keywords: Canis lupus pallipes, camera trap, Peninsular wolf, Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand