Packs of wolves on prowl in Godhra-Jhalod stretch

VADODARA: After leopards it''s the wolves that are lending attraction to forests skirting Vadodara circle.
Forest officials here have recorded the presence of wolf packs in Jhalod, Baria, Chhapan and Samli in Godhra-Dahod-Baria region. Considered extremely shy animals, forest officials also believe that the wolf packs that are known to have huge territories might even have frequented Mahi ravines on the outskirts of the city.
"A pack of 7-9 wolf was seen in Jhalod. Another pack was noticed in Samli near Gohdra. Similar reports have come from Baria range. We can conclude that atleast two-three packs are moving around in the region," Vadodara circle conservator of forests H S Singh told TNN.
He said though there was no confirmed reports of wolves inhabiting the Mahi ravines there was strong possibility that the animal might have been lurking the ravines. "It''s an ideal habitat for the wolf. We will check for their presence in the ravines. I suspect they must be frequenting the ravines but due to their shy and swift movements noticing or spotting them is nearly impossible," Singh said.
Unlike leopard, there is no man-wolf conflict report thus far, but in few cases villagers in Jhalod and Baria areas have complained of goats being lifted. "There was a time when wolves sustained on four horned antelopes but with the depletion in numbers of herbivores they have adjusted with goats and other small domesticated animals," Singh said.
Listed as threatened and a schedule I endangered species, wolves were once found in abundance in Gujarat. Current estimate shows that wolves number around 320 in Gujarat of which a majority are found in Saurashtra and Kutch region.
"Villagers in Saurashtra and Kutch, especially in coastal zone are familiar with wolf. The animal is also seen in good numbers in Surendranagar, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar and Banaskantha. This species is occasionally seen in other areas also. Maximum number is estimated in Kutch (over 150)," Singh said.
In Saurashtra, they number upto 190 to 270 in Wild Ass Sanctuary alone, the wolf population is between 80-100 according to 1998 census. Similarly forest department estimated 40-50 wolves in Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary, 10-20 in and around Nalia and over half dozen in Velavadar National Park, about half dozen in Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary during 1998-99.
"Pack of wolves is commonly seen by villagers in Bhatia and Jodiya taluka of Jamnagar. In Kutch, Banaskantha and part of Saurashtra, wolf follows movement of sheep and goat. Villagers report that maldharis kill pups of wolf by burning them at their dens," Singh added.
Interestingly, wolfs still kill blackbucks in the Velavadar National Park. "The number of blackbucks killed annually per wolf has been estimated between 35 to 40," Singh said.