Why in the News?
The IUCN has separately evaluated the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) from the gray wolf, suggesting it may be recognised as a distinct Canis species.
About Indian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes):
- Overview: Also called the Peninsular Wolf or Indian Grey Wolf; proposed as Canis indica owing to genetic divergence 110,000–200,000 years ago.
- Distinct Lineage: Genomic studies identify it as the oldest surviving wolf lineage, basal to all other Canis lupus subspecies.
- Distribution: Found across Deccan Plateau, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, extending into Pakistan and Iran; only 12.4 % of its range lies inside protected areas.
- Population Status (2025): Estimated 2,877–3,310 individuals (IUCN Red List 2025) — classified as Vulnerable.
- Legal Protection: Listed in *Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, prohibiting hunting, trapping, or killing <citation needed>.
- Habitat: Prefers scrublands, dry grasslands, and thorn forests, increasingly threatened by agriculture, solar projects, and highways.
- Ecological Role: Functions as a top predator regulating prey such as blackbuck, chinkara, hares, and rodents in India’s open ecosystems.
- Social Behaviour: Lives in packs of 6-8 members, exhibiting cooperative hunting and silent coordination strategies.
Evolutionary and Taxonomic Significance:
- Early Divergence: Fossil and genetic data show divergence from Eurasian and Himalayan wolves well before the last Ice Age, evolving within India’s semi-arid zones.
- Evolutionary Importance: Serves as a key model for studying wolf evolution, adaptation, and behaviour in tropical and dry environments.
- Taxonomic Debate: Researchers propose recognition as a distinct species (Canis indica) based on unique genetic, ecological, and behavioural traits.
| [UPSC 2024] Question: Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: The Indian Flying Fox is placed under the “vermin” category in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Statement-II: The Indian Flying Fox feeds on the blood of other animals. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? Options: (a) Both statement I and Statement II are correct and statement II explains statement I (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I (c) Staement- I is correct , but Statement II is incorrect* (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct |
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