HIMALAYAN WOLF (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The Himalayan Wolf has been assessed for the first time in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List.

Himalayan Wolf

• Scientific name: Canis lupus chanco
• Habitat: Found living in Ladakh in the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau,[9][10] and the mountains of Central Asia.

oIndia has 227-378 mature individuals in its section of the Himalayas. 

• Characteristics: The Himalayan wolf has a thick, woolly fur that is dull earthy-brown on the back and tail, and yellowish-white on the face, tummy, and limbs. 

oIt has closely spaced black speckles on the muzzle, below the eyes, and on the upper cheeks and ears.

oLarger than the Indian and common European wolves.

• Threat: Illegally hunted for trade in its fur and body parts including paws, tongues, heads, and other parts.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I

Suggestions to enhance the protection of Himalayan wolves

• Securing and restoring healthy wild prey populations and landscapes and setting aside wildlife habitat refuges;
• Improving livestock guarding methods, such as predator-proof corral pens and using sustainable livestock herding practices, including reduced livestock loads, adapted herding, and developing novel but tradition-based holistic management practices
• Management of feral dog populations
• Trans-boundary efforts in conservation of the species in range countries through research and monitoring.