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Why Madhya Pradesh Has India’s Highest Wolf Population
Madhya Pradesh is estimated to have more Indian peninsular wolves than any other Indian state.
Researchers counted about 772 adult wolves there, but this was an estimate rather than a full census.
They used camera traps and other records to make the estimate.
Wolves like grasslands, scrub and open forests more than thick, wet forests.
Madhya Pradesh has many landscapes that provide these conditions.
In Nauradehi, tigers returned in 2018, so scientists are studying how wolves and tigers share the area.
Wolves also face dangers from habitat loss, roads, diseases, dogs and persecution.
The story shows that grasslands and open country are important wildlife habitats too.
A 2022 study estimated 772 adult Indian peninsular wolves in Madhya Pradesh, the highest state-level estimate in India.
The study estimated about 3,170 adult Indian peninsular wolves nationwide, with a range of 2,568 to 3,847.
Researchers used camera-trap, radio-telemetry, published and authenticated sighting data rather than conducting a statewide census.
Wolves favor semi-arid scrub, grasslands and open forests, with Madhya Pradesh offering the country’s largest estimated suitable habitat.
In Nauradehi, researchers are studying how wolves use the landscape after tigers were reintroduced in 2018.
- Who
- Researchers Yadvendradev Jhala, Swati Saini, Satish Kumar and Qamar Qureshi estimated the wolf population; Madhya Pradesh State Forest Research Institute is studying wolves in Nauradehi.
- What
- A 2022 assessment estimated 772 adult Indian peninsular wolves in Madhya Pradesh, the highest state-level estimate in India.
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, including Nauradehi Wildlife Division and landscapes such as Panna–Nauradehi and Shivpuri–Mukundara–Gandhi Sagar.
- When
- The population assessment was published in 2022; tigers were reintroduced to Nauradehi in 2018, and the research project’s 2024–25 report recorded its camera-trap work.
- Why
- Madhya Pradesh contains extensive semi-arid scrub, grasslands and open forests that provide suitable wolf habitat.
Key facts
- Madhya Pradesh estimate
- 772 adult Indian peninsular wolves
- India estimate
- About 3,170 adult wolves, with an uncertainty range of 2,568 to 3,847
- Estimated suitable habitat
- 81,734 square kilometres in Madhya Pradesh
- Estimated breeding habitat
- 25,979 square kilometres in Madhya Pradesh
- Assessment method
- Data from 26,838 camera traps covering 121,337 square kilometres, plus radio-telemetry, published information and authenticated sightings
- Nauradehi monitoring
- Three radio-collared wolves and their pack members are being followed
- Nauradehi camera traps
- 469 cameras were deployed during the 2024–25 reporting period
Quotes
Y V Jhala
Wildlife scientist and co-author of the 2022 Indian wolf assessment
“wolves are extremely shy and elusive animals that attempt to avoid contact with humans at all costs.”
thebetterindia.com
Sources
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