A brief report on the conservation of the Indian Wolfand its habitats in Koppal, Karnataka

The Indian Wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) is listed under Schedule-I of the WildlifeProtection Act 1972. They were widely distributed across the Indiansubcontinent, but their numbers have sharply declined and are endangered,due to loss of habitats, illegal wildlife trade, hunting, poaching, trapping, and thedrastic reduction of prey species. Also called the Indian Grey Wolf, they arepresently surviving in isolated, human dominated pockets of the Deccan.

Misunderstood due to misinformation and folklore and its predation onlivestock they were classified as ‘vermin’ and systematically killed and eradicatedall over India. Even though the Indian Wolf has been accorded the highestprotection at par with Tigers, they have been neglected and are living on theedge of extinction.Less than 3,000 are estimated to remain and live in unsustainable pockets. Someparts of the Eastern plains of North Karnataka, such as Jhamkandi in Bagalkote,Yelburga in Koppal.The potential habitats that have been identified in Koppal district are:

1) TwalaHalla Community Preserve2) Bankapura Reserve Forest3) Mandalamari Community Preserve

Interestingly, most of our wildlife live in human dominated non protected areasand the Indian Wolf and Black bucks are mostly found surviving here.

An alpha female Indian Grey Wolf surveys her territory and looks out for prey

1. Twalahalla Community Preserve:

The quadrilateral area that spreads between Sanganal-Karmudi-Mudhol inYelburga taluk is a very good habitat for Indian Grey Wolves. This area is home totwo packs of wolves and approximately 12-15 wolves survive here.The entire landscape of this area comprises of black cotton soil where farmersgrow rain fed crop such as Horse gram, Jowar, Sunflower, Green chilly etc.

A small populations of Indian Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) roam these vastplains . The extinct legendary Asiatic Cheetah once roamed these wide opengrasslands of the Deccan plains. During the monsoon, rain water flows inseasonal streams and rivulets where Ballari Jaali (Prosopis juliflora) and otherlocal flora grow and provide an ideal habitat for Indian Wolves and other faunathat make these habitats their home. One such stream is called as Twalahalla –“the stream of wolves”.

They hunt blackbuck, livestock and breed in this region. The critically endangeredGreat Indian Bustard has also been sighted around this landscape, but is rarelyseen. Migratory birds such as Isabelline Wheatear and Desert Wheatear havebeen sighted in this region which is a very rare winter migrant. This habitat ofblack cotton soil spread from Bannikoppa-Banapura to Yelburga-Mudhol, isproposed to be declared as a Community Conservation Preserve to give theIndian Wolf and other species a safe and secured home to survive.

2) Bankapura Reserve Forest

An undisturbed scrub jungle in Gangavathi taluk in Koppal district is anotherpotential habitat of Indian Wolves and Leopards. Located adjacent to Bankapuraand Sulekal villages, it is a scrub jungle that has rocky boulders and thorny bushesand has provided safe shelter and breeding habitat for the Indian Grey Wolf.

Deccan Conservation Foundation along with Karnataka Forest Department’spermission has installed camera traps to observe the wildlife movement, as it wasan ideal habitat for Sloth Bear, Leopard, Striped Hyena and Indian Grey Wolf.

Our camera traps have successfully identified a pack of wolves in this area, alongwith Striped Hyenas, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Jackals, Jungle Cat, Rusty-spotted Cat,Ruddy Mongoose and Indian Porcupine till now. The topographical map of theproposed protected area is shown below, having potential for micro habitats toprotect, preserve and conserve wildlife in these contested spaces

Our interests lie in documenting and studying the wildlife in such areas to be ableto give weight to their conservation. Such a high diversity of carnivores foundoutside protected area needs to be highlighted for a better conservation policy,which is inclusive of those populations in non-protected areas.

3) Mandalamari Community Preserve:

A small undisturbed scrub jungle in Yelburga taluk in Koppal district is anotherpotential habitat of the Indian Wolf. Located adjacent to Mandalamari village, it isa scrub jungle that has rocky boulders and thorny bushes and has provided a safeshelter and breeding habitat for Indian Wolves. The rocky hillocks in this area arethe highest point in Yelburga Taluk and one of the few remaining habitats.

Deccan Conservation Foundation has identified a pack of wolves in this area byprimary surveys and also found that they are breeding in dens within these rockycaves. These wolves are the resident pack and go around the farmlands in thevicinity to feed upon the small mammals, fruits and other foods in their diet.The topographical map of the proposed protected area is shown below, havingpotential for micro habitats to protect, preserve and conserve wildlife in thesecontested spaces.

Conservation cannot merely be about protected areas but also about largerlandscapes where wildlife is conserved in unprotected areas with minimaldamage to human livelihood or lives. Wildlife protection in such landscapes mustbe prioritised and given as much importance as protected areas. Since animals donot understand geo-political boundaries, we need to apply scientific enquiry tostudy their ecology. Areas outside these boundaries are also habitats for animalmovement, local migration, dispersal and even breeding.

We are using camera traps to track and to capture the wildlife that live andbreed in this habitat. This is supplemented by appointing private watchers andresearchers to prepare a scientific reports. It is of utmost importance that thisarea is kept relatively undisturbed and with minimum human interaction.

We have identified a very prospective habitat near the villages of Mandalamariand Makkhalli in Yelburga Taluk adjoining the Kushtagi-Koppal State HighwayNO 36, and have been collecting data, researching and scientifically surveyingthis area for the last 2 years.

The survey and data studies have revealed an astonishing biodiversity and thepresence of many critically endangered species. It includes the Indian Grey Wolf,Rusty Spotted Cat and the elusive Striped Hyena. Other endangered and rarespecies like the Asian Palm Civet, Small Indian Civet, Jungle Cat, Jackal, IndianFox and even birds like the Rock Eagle Owl, Indian Thick-knee are using thismicro-habitats as breeding grounds and are susceptible from humandisturbances, conflicts and poaching including the practice of ritual hunting.

It becomes imperative for conservationists and the forest department to dealwith the challenging situation of managing wildlife outside protected areaswhere the interface with humans is higher and they are more vulnerable topopulation declines compared to inside protected areas.

“ How can wildlife survive if they have no place to live and breed in safety ? ”

An alpha male, Indian Grey Wolf moving in the denning area used for breeding

Camera trap images, data and research of our biodiversity

The Indian Leopard and Indian Grey Wolf share the same space, livingand coexisting in harmony with each other in shrinking contested spaces.

Striped Hyena and the Indian Jackals caught on camera traps placed neardens and regular routes, providing useful data for conservation policiesand mapping potential areas and wildlife population survey in Koppal.

Asian Palm Civets and the Small Indian Civet are predominantlynocturnal and camera traps record their movements and behaviorof our on-going research and project studies in Koppal.

The elusive Rusty Spotted Cat is captured on our camera traps wherethey are breeding. Monitor Lizards are the main victims of poachers.

Porcupines and Jungle Cats use caves to rest, den and breed.Coexistence between humans and wildlife is the key to the survivalof wildlife in non protected areas that make up most of India.

Migratory birds that winter in the Deccan

Northern Pintail and Bar headed Geese are few of many species that useflyways across the Himalayas to reach the Deccan plateau, travellingthousands of miles in this epic journey across continents.

These winter visitors rest in water bodies and feed in ripening fields of pulsesand grain. Shrinking wetlands are effecting the annual migration.

Demoiselle Cranes assemble in large flocks at waterbodies

A Desert Wheatear rests nears fields of ripening crop feeding on insects.A very rare sighting to be recorded so far south in the Deccan.

Striped Hyenas and the Sloth Bears are victims of poaching and road kills

The Deccan grasslands, rocky scrub jungles and riverine ecosystems have an amazingbiodiversity of flora and fauna. This arid landscape is forgotten, neglected and called“wastelands”. This is where the original endemic species of wildlife of the Indiansubcontinent are struggling to survive in an unsustainable fragmented human dominatedlandscape. Threatened, endangered and some critically endangered, we at DeccanConservation Foundation are working closely with our rural population, as our strategicpartners to preserve the remaining habitats and protect the surviving wildlife, that is thelast bastion of many endangered species in Koppal district, Karnataka, India.

Visit Deccan Conservation Foundation www.dcfindia@org.in

Field office : Yeshwant Vihar, Hagedal P.O. Yelburga Taluk-583236Koppal District, Karnataka, India

Head Office : 282 4th Main, 1st Block, Koramangala, Bangalore - 560034 Karnataka, India

Email : www.dcfindia.org.inCall : +91-9448455789 / +91-9449856476