A chilling wave of attacks in northern India has left residents of the Bahraich area in Uttar Pradesh living in fear, with a pack of wolves believed to be responsible for killing nine children and one adult in recent months. The incidents have sparked a frantic hunt for the remaining wolf, with authorities deploying drones and traps to capture the elusive predator.
The attacks, which reportedly involved wolves dragging children from their beds and snatching them while they slept in the open, have raised concerns about the wolves’ increasingly bold behavior. News reports described Indian wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) as the perpetrators, but experts caution that definitive evidence is lacking and other canids, like feral dogs and wolf-dog hybrids, could also be involved.
While the Uttar Pradesh forest department has successfully captured five of the six wolves believed to be in the area, one remains at large, fueling continued reports of attacks. This elusive wolf is proving difficult to find due to the dense sugarcane fields that offer cover and the presence of other canids in the region, making identification challenging.
Adding to the uncertainty, experts are questioning the assumption that wolves are solely responsible for the attacks. Wildlife biologist Yadvendradev Jhala suggests that this might be a rare case of an individual canid, possibly a wolf, exhibiting predatory behavior towards humans, driven by a need to kill and eat. He points out that the bite patterns on the victims, indicative of a single canid’s attack, are inconsistent with a wolf pack’s hunting behavior.
Furthermore, the lack of conclusive evidence, such as DNA or footprints, leaves the question of which canid species is responsible unanswered. Shaheer Khan, a wolf biologist, emphasizes the high density of jackals and feral dogs in the region, suggesting that many attacks could have been misidentified. Arjun Srivathsa, a researcher focusing on canid-human interactions, highlights the common confusion among local communities about different canid species, further complicating the identification process.
Jhala also emphasizes the sensationalized media coverage of the attacks, stating that other animals, including tigers, leopards, elephants, and even snakes, kill more people than wolves. He argues that societal perception often exaggerates the threat posed by animal attacks compared to the more commonplace dangers of road accidents.
The vulnerability of Bahraich residents stems from their proximity to wildlife and the lack of basic necessities, such as proper housing and sanitation. When food becomes scarce, predators may turn to human children as an easier target than dwindling wild prey. Jhala warns that once a predator learns that children are easy prey, the fear of humans becomes secondary to survival instincts.
This recent wave of suspected wolf attacks is not unprecedented. In the past, India has experienced similar surges in wolf attacks, with notable incidents in Bihar in the early 1980s and Uttar Pradesh in 1996. The current attacks, however, highlight the complexities of human-wildlife interactions and the need for careful investigation before attributing blame. Misidentification and the lack of concrete evidence necessitate a cautious approach, emphasizing the importance of scientific evidence and local communities’ understanding of their environment to prevent further tragedy.
