Study at Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary maps when and where wolf livestock attacks peak
A study around Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary in Jharkhand (India’s first designated wolf sanctuary) analysed livestock depredation data from interviews with 345 households across 69 villages (2022–2024), with reported attacks verified using kill-site evidence and, where possible, forest department records. It found wolf attacks on livestock were most likely at night and early morning, peaked during winter and early summer, and were concentrated in open grazing areas and near forest edges, with households closer to the sanctuary boundary experiencing greater economic losses.
The findings provide evidence to target conflict-mitigation measures (e.g., night-time livestock management and predator-proof enclosures) to reduce livestock losses while supporting wolf conservation in a lived-in protected landscape.