Suspected grey wolf sighted in Delhi after decades

Hindustan Times

20-05-2025

A possible sighting of the Indian grey wolf (Canis lupus pallipes) has been reported in Delhi, after a wildlife enthusiast photographed a lone animal resembling the elusive species along the Yamuna floodplains near Palla, in north Delhi, where the river enters the city. The rare encounter occurred on Thursday morning, when the animal was seen along the riverbanks before vanishing into the tall riverine grasses.
No recent records exist of the species in Delhi, with a 2014 publication on the Delhi Ridge by forester GN Sinha stating the wolf has not been spotted in the capital after the 1940s. Experts cautioned that while the photographs resemble the Indian grey wolf, the possibility of cross-breeding with feral dogs cannot be ruled out without genetic testing.
YV Jhala, a leading wildlife scientist and expert on Indian wolves, said the animal in the photographs did appear 'wolfish', but hybridisation was a growing concern.
'It does look like a wolf. But the dark colour and the curve of the tail suggest possible dog gene introversion. Without genetic analysis, everything remains speculative,' he said. Jhala noted that hybridisation with feral dogs is increasingly observed across regions due to a rise in dog populations and shrinking wild habitats.
In fact, just last January, an Indian grey wolf was documented in the Chambal region after nearly two decades. Jhala said while Delhi rarely sees this species, large parts of Uttar Pradesh support a stable population. 'Wolves are capable of travelling hundreds of kilometres, so a long-distance movement cannot be ruled out either,' he said.
The Delhi sighting was first made by Hemant Garg, 41, a businessman and wildlife enthusiast who actively tracks nocturnal animals.
'I spotted this dog-like animal around 8am on Thursday near Palla. It had a dull, dark grey coat and walked with a gait that didn't quite match a dog's. As I moved closer and took a few photographs, it darted into a patch of tall grass and disappeared,' said Garg.
Wildlife conservationist Raghu Chundawat, who has previously conducted detailed surveys on wolves in India, also reviewed the photographs and said the animal did resemble the Indian grey wolf.
'There's no recent documented evidence of the species in Delhi, but I recall spotting one near the airport in the early 1990s,' he said, adding that although it's difficult to determine where the animal came from, adjacent Uttar Pradesh hosts a decent wolf population. 'It could very well have travelled a considerable distance to reach here.'
GN Sinha's 2013 book, An Introduction to the Delhi Ridge, notes that the Indian grey wolf was once commonly found in the Ridge and its surrounding areas.
The Indian grey wolf typically inhabits grasslands, scrub forests, thorn forests, and dry deciduous regions. It often shares space with agro-pastoral communities and preys on livestock such as sheep and goats, as well as rodents and hares.
Surya Ramachandran, a naturalist who has closely studied wolf behaviour, was among the experts who analysed Garg's photographs.
'They were shared with me shortly after the sighting, and from the side profile, it does appear to be a wolf. We suspect it may have travelled along the Yamuna, possibly from the Chambal region,' he said.
Experts agree that while this may be an isolated incident, the sighting carries great ecological significance for Delhi.
'The sighting of the Indian grey wolf in Delhi is both thrilling and deeply significant. It highlights the resilience of wildlife in the face of urban sprawl and underlines the urgent need to conserve the remaining natural habitats around our cities,' said Abhishek Gulshan, naturalist and founder of NINOX – Owl About Nature.
Dr Suryaprakash, a zoologist at Jawaharlal Nehru University, added that the location of the sighting is particularly intriguing.
'Delhi lies between two key habitats for wolves — the Yamuna riverine plains on one side and Haryana's Aravalli belt leading into Rajasthan on the other. Both these ecosystems are home to this shy, strategic hunter,' he said. 'They rarely pose a threat to humans but often live close to settlements to prey on livestock. Over time, however, cross-breeding with dogs has diluted the species' genetic purity.'
The forest department is yet to confirm the sighting but said they are reviewing the images and may conduct a site inspection.
A senior forest and wildlife department official said they were not aware of such a sighting. 'We will look into it,' the official said, adding no recent records of the species in Delhi are available.