Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Unverified Indian Grey Wolf Sighting in Delhi Marks Potential Return After 80 Years

Photographs of a canid resembling the Indian grey wolf in the Yamuna floodplains prompt expert analysis and forest department review.

 (Courtesy: Hemant Garg)
Image

Overview

  • A wildlife enthusiast captured images of a canid near Palla in Delhi, sparking speculation about the Indian grey wolf's return to the capital after its last confirmed sighting in the 1940s.
  • Experts agree the animal appears 'wolfish,' but stress the need for genetic testing to confirm its identity and rule out hybridisation with feral dogs.
  • The Delhi Forest Department is reviewing the photographs and may conduct a site inspection, though no confirmation has been made yet.
  • The Indian grey wolf was documented in the Chambal region earlier this year, raising the possibility of the animal traveling along ecological corridors like the Yamuna riverine plains.
  • Conservationists highlight the ecological significance of the sighting, emphasizing the need for habitat protection in urban and peri-urban areas.