Dr. Shaheer Khan Helps Bahraich Forest Department with Wolf Threat

In Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, the forest department has called upon Dr. Shaheer Khan, a wildlife expert from the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun, to address the ongoing wolf threat. Dr. Khan, who has 8 years of experience in wolf search and rescue, explained that wolves are social animals usually found in packs of 4, 6, or 8, led by an alpha pair. The current pack in Bahraich consists of 6 wolves.

Dr. Khan is assisting the forest team in understanding wolf behavior, ecology, and biology. He noted that wolves might confuse human children with animals like deer, leading to attacks. However, he clarified that such incidents are rare, with the last human-wolf conflict occurring in 2004 and before that in 1994. The recent wolf menace in Bahraich may be linked to open defecation, which could have confused the wolves.

Dr. Khan emphasized that wolves are keystone species, crucial for maintaining the balance of grassland ecosystems. He cited a study from Yellowstone National Park, where the removal of wolves led to an overpopulation of deer, causing vegetation damage and soil erosion. Reintroducing wolves restored the ecosystem balance.

Forest General Manager Sanjay Pathak criticized media outlets for spreading false reports, confusing jackals with wolves. He mentioned that despite using thermal cameras, no wolves have been detected recently, possibly due to normalizing river levels. Pathak warned that further action might be taken against those spreading rumors.

So far, four wolves have been captured. Drone visuals from Harbaksh Purwa village showed agricultural land under surveillance, and a search operation was conducted nearby to capture a wolf spotted with thermal drones.