Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 - Grey Wolf

Subspecies in India

Grey wolf Canis lupus has wide distribution in Eurasia and N. America. There are several subspecies of this species of which Indian wolf Canis lupus pallipes and Mongolian Wolf/Himalayan Wolf Canis lupus chanco are distributed in India. There still exists an open debate over species recognition of these two subspecies. Some taxonomists consider them as subspecies under Canis lupus (as represented here) owing to lack of enough molecular and morphological studies to elevate it to individual separate species. Some other taxonomists suggest "Indian Wolf" Canis lupus pallipes to be elevated to a separate species i.e. Canis indica and "Himalayan Wolf" Canis lupus chanco as another separate species i.e. Canis himalayensis. Nevertheless, it remains unresolved due to lack of enough evidences and thorough scientific research.
 
 

Photo Gallery and Species Biology

Conservation Status:
 
Indian Population of Gray wolf (without accounting for its dubious status as a separate species) is 'Endangered' according to some taxonomists and wildlife scientists. But there is no appropriate IUCN assessment of threat status this species' Indian population. Gray Wolf inhabits grasslands and scrublands which are often treated as wasteland. Such areas are highly vulnerable to destruction owing to industrial use and agricultural expansion. Wolf is also often found predating domestic sheep and goat, which brings up on another threat of retaliatory killing, trapping, and poisoning. Wolf pups are also killed at times by smoking and burning their dens to avoid any future threat to livestock. These all threats have contributed to decrease in its population and fragmentation.
 
StateJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecNo date
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Andhra Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Chandigarh
Chhattisgarh
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Daman & Diu
Delhi
Goa
Gujarat3
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Jharkhand
Karnataka
Kerala
Lakshadweep
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra13111155423
Manipur
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Nagaland
Odisha
Paschimbanga
Pondicherry
Punjab
Rajasthan
Sikkim
Tamil Nadu
Tripura
Uttar Pradesh
Uttarakhand
West Bengal
Total13111155723

Page citation

Anonymous 2024. Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 – Grey Wolf. In Bayani, A., R. Chakravarty, and K. Kunte (Editors) (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 1.13. Published by the Indian Foundation for Butterflies. URL: https://www.mammalsofindia.org/canis-lupus, accessed 2024/05/13.