Himalaya Wolf

The first-ever IUCN assessment of the Himalayan Wolf is out

 The Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco) has been assessed for the fi rst time on the International 

Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and it has been categorized as ‘Vulnerable.

 Vulnerable Status: The Himalayan Wolf has been classifi ed as ‘Vulnerable’ based on the IUCN 

criteria.

 This classifi cation is due to a population size estimate of 2,275-3,792 mature individuals, with all 

individuals belonging to one subpopulation distributed across the Himalayan range of Nepal 

and India and the Tibetan Plateau.

 The assessment notes a continuous decline in the population, primarily due to ongoing 

substantial threats and a lack of conservation action.

 The assessment identifi es various threats to the Himalayan Wolf, including habitat loss and 

degradation, depredation confl icts with livestock, depletion of wild prey populations, and 

hybridization with feral dogs in Ladakh and Spiti.

 The Himalayan Wolf is also illegally hunted for trade in its fur and body parts, including paws, 

tongues, heads, and other parts. However, hunting of these wolves is not legal in all range states.

 The assessment recommends several measures to enhance the protection of Himalayan Wolves, 

including restoring healthy wild prey populations, improving livestock guarding methods, managing 

feral dog populations, trans-boundary conservation eff orts, and incorporating the species into 

conservation programs