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India Today
21-05-2025
- General
- India Today
Rare Indian Grey wolf sighting reported along Yamuna floodplains in Delhi
A lone Indian grey wolf was recently spotted along the Yamuna floodplains near Palla, where the river enters Delhi, in a rare wildlife sighting in the city's northern week, on Thursday morning, the sighting was made by Hemant Garg, a 41-year-old businessman and wildlife enthusiast who frequently tracks nocturnal wildlife across said he noticed the animal around 7.45 am, walking along the riverbank with a distinct gait and having dark grey fur that didn't match a typical dog' "It had a dull, dark grey coat and walked with a certain grace, unlike a stray dog. When I got closer and started taking photos, it quickly vanished into the tall grasses," said taken by Garg were soon shared with wildlife experts, several of whom noted striking similarities to the Indian grey wolf — a species not officially recorded in Delhi for experts have confirmed that the animal is an Indian grey wolf, though it is considered special since it was spotted in the landscape of Delhi, a rare they noted that unusual events do happen in nature.A wolf expert and wildlife researcher said the animal did look like a wolf but cautioned against jumping to dark colour and tail curvature suggest the possibility of hybridisation with feral dogs. Without genetic testing, one can't be sure, he added that it is possible the wolf may have travelled from Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan along riverbanks."From the side profile, it certainly appears to be a wolf. A dog typically does not have such a jawline, strong chest, or grey-black, dusky-dull coat. Given its location near the Yamuna, it might have followed the river corridor," he according to a 2014 publication by forester GN Sinha, there has been no confirmed sighting of a wolf in the capital since the Indian grey wolf is native to grasslands, scrublands and dry deciduous forests, and their territory often overlaps with agro-pastoral landscapes, occasionally preying on say that colour variations and fur texture can differ based on age, habitat and dominance within a the sighting remains unverified, it has reignited conversations around urban biodiversity and habitat conservation."This is both thrilling and important. It shows the resilience of wildlife even in heavily urbanised areas like Delhi and reminds us to protect the remaining green corridors," said Abhishek Gulshan, naturalist and founder of NINOX – Owl About also confirmed it was an Indian grey wolf, adding, "New things do happen, and animals do travel."advertisementHowever, a senior forest department official downplayed the sighting, saying, "We have no record of any wolf sighting in recent times."
NDTV
21-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
Rare Indian Grey Wolf Sighting Reported Near Yamuna In Delhi After Decades
New Delhi: A lone Indian grey wolf was recently spotted along the Yamuna floodplains near Palla, where the river enters Delhi, in a rare wildlife sighting in the city's northern fringes. Last week, on Thursday morning, the sighting was made by Hemant Garg, a 41-year-old businessman and wildlife enthusiast who frequently tracks nocturnal wildlife across Delhi-NCR. Mr Garg said he noticed the animal around 7.45 am, walking along the riverbank with a distinct gait and having dark grey fur that didn't match a typical dog's. "It had a dull, dark grey coat and walked with a certain grace, unlike a stray dog. When I got closer and started taking photos, it quickly vanished into the tall grasses," said Mr Garg. Photographs taken by Mr Garg were soon shared with wildlife experts, several of whom noted striking similarities to the Indian grey wolf - a species not officially recorded in Delhi for decades. Many experts have confirmed that the animal is an Indian grey wolf, though it is considered special because it was spotted in the Delhi landscape, a rare occurrence. However, they noted that unusual events do happen in nature. A wolf expert and wildlife researcher said the animal did look like a wolf but cautioned against jumping to conclusions. The dark colour and tail curvature suggest the possibility of hybridisation with feral dogs. Without genetic testing, one can't be sure, he said. He added that it is possible the wolf may have travelled from Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan along the riverbanks. "From the side profile, it certainly appears to be a wolf. A dog typically does not have such a jawline, strong chest, or grey-black, dusky-dull coat. Given its location near the Yamuna, it might have followed the river corridor," he explained. Meanwhile, according to a 2014 publication by forester G.N. Sinha, there has been no confirmed sighting of a wolf in the capital since the 1940s. The Indian grey wolf is native to grasslands, scrublands and dry deciduous forests, and their territory often overlaps with agro-pastoral landscapes, occasionally preying on livestock. Experts say that colour variations and fur texture can differ based on age, habitat and dominance within a pack. While the sighting remains unverified, it has reignited conversations around urban biodiversity and habitat conservation. "This is both thrilling and important. It shows the resilience of wildlife even in heavily urbanised areas like Delhi and reminds us to protect the remaining green corridors," said Abhishek Gulshan, naturalist and founder of NINOX - Owl About Nature. He also confirmed it was an Indian grey wolf, adding, "New things do happen, and animals do travel." However, a senior forest department official downplayed the sighting, saying, "We have no record of any wolf sighting in recent times."
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Rare Indian grey wolf's sighting reported along Yamuna floodplain near Palla
In a rare wildlife sighting, an Indian grey wolf was spotted near Palla along the Yamuna floodplain in Delhi. Wildlife enthusiast Hemant Garg photographed the animal, noting its distinct gait and dark grey fur. NEW DELHI: A lone Indian grey wolf was recently spotted along the Yamuna floodplain near Palla, where the river enters Delhi, in a rare wildlife sighting in the city's northern fringes. Last week, on Thursday morning, the sighting was made by Hemant Garg, a 41-year-old businessman and wildlife enthusiast who frequently tracks nocturnal wildlife across Delhi-NCR. Garg said he noticed the animal around 7.45 am, walking along the riverbank with a distinct gait and having dark grey fur that didn't match a typical dog's. "It had a dull, dark grey coat and walked with a certain grace, unlike a stray dog. When I got closer and started taking photos, it quickly vanished into the tall grasses," said Garg. Photographs taken by Garg were soon shared with wildlife experts, several of whom noted striking similarities to the Indian grey wolf - a species not officially recorded in Delhi for decades. Many experts have confirmed that the animal is an Indian grey wolf, though it is considered special since it was spotted in the landscape of Delhi, a rare occurrence. A wolf expert and wildlife researcher said the animal did look like a wolf but cautioned against jumping to also confirmed it was an Indian grey wolf, adding, "New things do happen, and animals do travel." However, a senior forest department official downplayed the sighting, saying, "We have no record of any wolf sighting in recent times."
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Grey wolf or dog? Here's what experts are saying about the rare sighting of a wild animal in a big city like Delhi after 80 years
A lone animal that looked like an Indian grey wolf was seen walking along the Yamuna river near Palla, north Delhi, on Thursday morning. If confirmed, this would be the first wolf sighting in Delhi in over 80 years. The animal was seen moving alone along the Yamuna floodplains, close to where the river enters Delhi. The sighting was brief. It disappeared into dense grass before anyone could get closer. According to a 2014 publication by forester GN Sinha, there have been no confirmed wolf records in Delhi since the 1940s. Grey Wolf or Dog? Hemant Garg, a resident of Delhi, took photos during his morning walk. The animal had a grey coat and wolf-like appearance. Experts who reviewed the images noted its resemblance to the Indian grey wolf (Canis lupus pallipes), but said the animal's tail raised doubts. Wildlife scientist YV Jhala said, 'The tail's curve and dark tone raise doubts. Without genetic tests, this remains just a possibility.' He added that hybridisation between dogs and wolves is now more frequent due to shrinking habitats and growing stray dog populations. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trekking pants for mountain sports and adventure travel Trek Kit India Shop Now Undo Experts point to nearby regions as possible origin Garg said the animal looked unlike any dog he had seen. 'It had a slow, deliberate walk and dull grey coat,' he said. He saw it around 8 am, took photos carefully, and watched as it disappeared into the vegetation. Raghu Chundawat, a conservationist, said, 'It resembles an Indian grey wolf from what I see.' He mentioned a similar animal near Delhi airport in the 1990s. 'It's rare but not impossible that it wandered here,' he added. Live Events Surya Ramachandran, a naturalist, said the animal could have travelled from Chambal along the Yamuna. 'It's quite likely it moved from Chambal via Yamuna,' he said. He also called for more research into how animals use urban corridors. Past records show Delhi once had rich wildlife Historian GN Sinha's writings show that wolves, leopards, blackbuck, and hyenas once lived around Delhi's Ridge. But by 1908, blackbuck had become rare, and by 1940, wolves and leopards had vanished. The Indian grey wolf lives in dry, grassy, or scrub areas and survives near humans by preying on goats, sheep, and small animals. These traits help it adapt, but also expose it to mixing with dogs. Some experts pointed out at Delhi lies between two key wolf habitats. To the east are Yamuna floodplains; west lies Aravalli belt. Delhi's forest department has not yet confirmed the species. A senior official said, 'We are not aware yet but will look into it.' The department is examining the photographs and may inspect the location. For now, the city waits to know whether the animal was a rare Indian grey wolf or a hybrid. Either way, it has sparked new questions about how wildlife is surviving close to the capital.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Grey wolf returns! Rare sighting reported in Delhi after several decades
credit: Hemant Garg Delhi, a rapidly industrialized and population-dense city, is not typically known for surprising wildlife encounters. Yet, patches of natural habitat along the periphery of the city, like Yamuna floodplains and the Delhi ridge, have consistently remained alive as green refugees in the midst of urban sprawl. In a surprising turn of events, a presumed Indian grey wolf ( Canis lupus pallipes ) was reportedly spotted close to the Yamuna floodplains of Delhi, signaling a possible return of a species so rare that it was last spotted many decades ago. They were seen in the vicinity of the Palla area, which is the point where the Yamuna River enters the city, and this is not usually known for any such rare wildlife sighting. This reported Indian grey wolf was initially spotted by Hemant Garg, who is 41, a businessman, and a wildlife lover. Initially, he noticed that the animal had a peculiar grey color and pattern, which made him take pictures before it moved into the bushes. What contributed to the sudden decline in their numbers? In the past, this Indian grey wolf was a frequent predator of the Delhi Ridge region. Since the early 20th century, indications are that the forests of the ridge contained a rich diversity of fauna. Hyenas, leopards, blackbuck, and chinkara were the most frequent sightings of animals here. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How can a 3-month-old get cancer? Please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo But the recent sighting brings to mind the present range of the species and the possibility of solitary individuals moving long distances. An interesting fact and an even more interesting sighting, isn't it? Endangered status and roadblocks ahead The Indian grey wolf is classified as "Endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and has been estimated to have a population of 2,000 to 3,000 individuals in India. As the species is Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, it is subject to numerous threats, including habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict , and hybridization with feral dogs. One of the most important challenges in conserving the Indian grey wolf is that most of its suitable habitat lies outside of protected areas. A study has indicated that out of approximately 4.2 lakh square kilometers of available habitat, only around 18,000 square kilometers are highly suitable, and only 1,332 square kilometers lie within protected areas. This is bound to increase the possibility of human-wolf conflict, as wolves attack livestock in the absence of natural prey, which triggers retaliatory killings by pastoralists. Additionally, the growing population of free-ranging domestic dogs in rural India poses a threat to hybridization and disease transmission, such as canine distemper and rabies. Y.V. Jhala (ex-dean, Wildlife Institute of India), who has done extensive research on Indian wolves, commented on the sighting, saying, " It does have a wolfish shape to it, but the curving of the tail and the dark coloration point towards the possibility of a hybrid with dogs. Till genetic analysis is done, nothing can be confirmed." he went on to say that although such occurrences are uncommon, they cannot be ruled out entirely since wolves are known to travel long distances. The online and local community reaction fueled a diverse array of emotions that ranged from fear and concern over the safety of locals to excitement. On the internet, a majority were surprised and curious, while others demanded that conservation efforts be implemented in the short term.
