Black Wolf Photographed For The First Time In India, Here Is Why It Is Concerning
Researchers claim they have photographed pure black wolves in India for the first time. BH Lab said that the animals are the result of hybridisation with dogs.
A group of researchers have claimed they have photographed pure black wolves in India for the first time. In the photos released by BH Lab, at least two wolves with a distinct black colour can be visible.
Result of hybridisation
While they look stunning, BH Lab said that the animals are the result of hybridisation with dogs.
"Double Trouble - this is the first photograph of pure black wolf from India. An indication of hybridisation with dogs. Time to worry about the species, the numbers are so low, it may be real problem," BH Labs said in a post on X.
Double Trouble - this is the first photograph of pure black wolf from India. An indication of hybridisation with dogs. Time to worry about the species, the numbers are so low, it may be real problem @laurenhennelly1 @IUCN @WildCanids @wildwithwolves @wii_india @shaheerkhan pic.twitter.com/fTCDduG6of
¡ª BH LAB (@bhlab_india) April 8, 2024
What are black wolves
Black wolves are rare but have been reported from several countries in the past including from the US.
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According to a 2009 study, black wolves are wolves that carry a mutation that causes their pelt to be colored solid black. This mutation likely was carried from domesticated dogs as they interbred with wolves.
The International Wolf Center said that between 1980 to 2020, biologists in Minnesota found that around 1.5 to 2 percent of the wolves were black.
Wolves in India
India is home to two species of wolves - Indian Gray Wolf and the Himalayan Wolf.
The Indian gray wolf is distributed in the parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, while Himalayan wolf is found in the upper-trans Himalayan range like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.
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Wolve are endangered as tigers
Both are listed as endangered species and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, of 1972.
A study conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India in 2022 had found that there were only 3,100 gray wolves left in the country, making them as endangered as tigers.
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