Wolf is recognized as a distinct subspecies Canis lupus pallipes, being smaller and shorter-haired than its larger cousins inhabiting the tundra and boreal forest zones outside India. There is however a much larger race C.lupus chanco inhabiting the inner Himalayan regions and Tibet. Fifty years ago wolves were widespread in the drier plains and desert zones of peninsular and north-western India. The increase in human population and spread of cultivated areas has led to a rapid decline in their numbers, accelerated by man`s incessant war against an animal which is a threat to his flocks of domestic stock. Wolves now only survive in the remoter, more sparsely populated regions such as in Rajasthan, Baluchistan, Gilgit, Ladakh, Gujarat and Bihar. In these areas they roam over large territories, often hunting in small family parties until the young become fully independent. Their principal prey is domestic sheep and goats but where wild game is abundant, they can and do subsist upon hares, gazelle, and even gerbils, and desert locusts.

Physical Characteristics of Indian Wolves
The Indian wolf shares similarities with the Eurasian wolf, yet it possesses distinct characteristics. Generally smaller and more lightly built, it stands at approximately 57–72 cm at the shoulder. Male Indian wolves typically weigh between 19 to 25 kg, while females weigh between 17–22 kg. Its body length ranges from 103 to 145 cm from nose to tail.

The Indian wolf`s fur is shorter than that of its Eurasian counterpart, lacking significant underfur. During summer, its coat is thin, particularly on the limbs, though the hair on the back remains longer, likely as an adaptation against solar radiation. The fur coloration is typically grayish-red to reddish-white with gray tones, and the hairs are grizzled with black, particularly prominent on the back, forming a dark V-shaped patch around the shoulders. The limbs appear paler compared to the body, and the underparts are nearly entirely white.

Newborn Indian wolf pups are born sooty-brown, with a distinct milk-white patch on the chest, which gradually fades with age. While black individuals are rare, they have been recorded in specific regions, such as India`s Solapur district. Unlike North American gray wolves, where black individuals typically result from interbreeding with dogs, the mutation leading to black fur in Indian wolves is naturally occurring.

Habitat of Indian Wolves
Wolves cannot tolerate constant human disturbance but in areas where they do inhabit, they are not particularly shy of mankind and will often stand and stare at the human intruder before loping off. They will hunt in late afternoon and early morning as well as throughout the hours of darkness, traversing distances up to twenty kilometres in a night.

During the day they take shelter in natural rock-caves or in burrow which they are capable of excavating themselves, and in the desert, they will excavate a burrow in completely flat ground. The young are born in an underground nest-chamber and litter sizes vary from three to nine, the pups being blind and helpless at birth and taking about eight weeks to be weaned. The gestation period is around sixty-eight days and female breed only once a year. In the north-western part of India most litters are produced in late winter and early spring. In the Himalayas, cubs are born in spring or early summer. In captivity they can live for fifteen years. The male is attentive when the pups are young, helping to bring food, which is regurgitated by both parents in front of their offsprings.

Adult male desert wolf weighs up to twenty-four kilograms and stands seventy-one centimetres at the shoulder, but the Tibetan race is much bigger with longer hair and may stand eighty centimetres at the shoulder. They have short tails and a thick ruff of hair around their necks, being grizzled with grey and yellowish buff on their lower parts and predominantly black hairs on their back and the front of their limbs. Occasional individuals that are white or black have been recorded from Ladakh and this small variation occurs in the sub-arctic regions. They have pointed upstanding ears, thickly fringed with white hair on their insides and black naked nosepad and lips. The wolves will cross-breed with domestic dogs, and captive specimens are in fact easily tamed.

Ecology of Indian Wolves
The behavior and hunting patterns of the Indian wolf resemble those of other grey wolf subspecies, with some notable distinctions. Typically, Indian wolf packs consist of fewer members, rarely exceeding 6-8 individuals, and they are relatively less vocal, seldom howling. Their vocalizations include howls, howl-barks, whimpers, social squeals, and whines, with average fundamental frequencies of 422 Hz for howls and 906 Hz for whines. In rare instances, Indian wolves have been observed associating with dholes in wildlife sanctuaries.

Breeding occurs from mid-October to late December, with whelping taking place in holes or ravines. Indian wolves primarily prey on antelopes, rodents, and hares. When targeting antelopes, they often hunt in pairs, employing a decoy strategy where one wolf distracts while the other attacks from behind. Their range overlaps with various other species such as the golden jackal, sloth bear, leopard, Bengal fox, brown bear, Asiatic lion, and Bengal tiger.

Indian wolves are nocturnal hunters, employing different strategies depending on their prey. They are known for their speed and endurance, particularly when hunting blackbuck antelopes, which constitute a significant portion of their diet in certain areas. Indian wolves often chase antelopes towards ravines, bushes, or hollows where other pack members lie in wait. They may also chase antelopes down hills for a short burst of speed or select sick or injured individuals from herds and pursue them to exhaustion.

In attacking, a single wolf typically grabs the snout to asphyxiate the antelope while others target the rear. Additionally, Indian wolves have been observed using curiosity to lure antelopes into vulnerable positions for a kill. These hunting behaviors showcase the adaptability and intelligence of the Indian wolf in securing its prey.

Distribution in India
In northern India, it has been estimated that there are approximately 300 wolves inhabiting an area of about 60,000 km2 in Jammu and Kashmir, with an additional 50 individuals in Himachal Pradesh. Traditionally, Hindus regarded the hunting of wolves, even those deemed dangerous, as taboo due to fears of causing a bad harvest. However, the Santals considered them fair game, along with other forest-dwelling animals. During the British era, wolves were not classified as game species and were primarily killed in response to attacks on game herds, livestock, and humans.

In modern India, the Indian wolf is distributed across various states including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. The Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary in Jharkhand is the country`s sole wolf sanctuary. Indian wolves are mainly found outside of protected reserves and primarily feed on livestock such as goats or sheep. However, in areas where natural prey is abundant, such as Blackbuck National Park in Velavadar or the Panna Tiger Reserve, they prefer natural prey species.

The Indian wolf has been protected since 1972 and classified as Endangered, with many populations existing in low numbers or inhabiting areas increasingly encroached upon by humans. In March 2023, ten captive-bred wolves were released in Gujarat, marking a significant conservation effort in India.