Population status and habitat use of Indian Grey Wolf in Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, India

Wolves, once one of the most widely distributed carnivores on Earth, have experienced drastic population declines and range contractions due to anthropogenic pressures. We studied the population status and habitat utilization of the Indian Grey Wolf in Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR). Both direct and indirect evidence were used to assess wolf presence, and Bonferroni confidence intervals were calculated to analyze habitat utilization. Wolf distribution was found to be restricted to the Khawasa Range of PTR, with the Khawasa Beat showing the highest encounter rate (0.154/km). Most wolf signs were recorded in mixed habitats (miscellaneous), underscoring the importance of these areas for the species’ long-term conservation. A significant positive correlation was observed between tree-cutting and wolf encounter rate (r = 0.976, p = 0.024, df = 3), suggesting that habitat changes associated with tree removal may influence wolf activity.