Research and Discussion Papers

Black sheep and gray wolves

Language: EnglishPublished: September 2010 View PDF File Authors: NITYA SAMBAMURTI GHOTGE and SAGARI R. RAMDAS Journal: Seminar 613 Sep 2010

The Deccan plateau of South central India is home to the Indian gray wolf Canis lupus pallipes. One of the world’s oldest mountain formations, the plateau is characterized by molten volcanic basaltic rock formed thousands of years ago and consists of large scrub plains and grasslands. The Indian wolf occupies the southern most range of wolves worldwide, and is commonly found in semi-arid habitats consisting of agro-pastoral lands, scrub forests and grasslands is the top carnivore species of the Indian open plains. It shares this space with the great Indian bustard, blackbuck, chinkara, nilgai, jackal and wild cat.

Where there are wolves there have to be sheep and indeed the Deccan plateau is home to traditional shepherding communities – the Dhangars, Kurumas, Gollas and Kurubas who have herded sheep for thousands of years, contributing food, fibre, manure as well as food for wild predators. Shepherds believe that the gods created them with the explicit task of rearing sheep – specifically the black Deccani.

Shepherds continue to practice transhumant pastoralism despite the fact that their grazing lands are presently wedged between the three rapidly growing metropolises of Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore. The forces of development have shrunk, bisected, fragmented and perforated this ecosystem and the now explosive growth of these cities is squeezing the sheep out of their land and with them the shepherds. Needless to say this has also spelt the death knell of the wolf of which there are few left.