Himalayan Wolves (Canis himalayaensis)
Recently the Himalayan wolf was identified as a sub species of Canis Lupus(Grey Wolf) by using DNA testing.
The Himalayan wolf is now considered to be possibly the oldest living lineage existing of all wolf species today.
Sharing habitat with both the Indian wolf and the Eurasian wolf in the Himalayan region, the Himalayas is also the only place in the world where these three species of wolf exist simultaneously. This is also supporting the theory that the India region is most likely the home of modern wolf evolution.
Even though these three species of wolf share habitat, inter species clashes are non existent.
The Himalayan wolf keeps mainly to small sections of Mongolia, China, Kashmir and India. There are only about 350 of these wolves left but only in India are they protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. A captive breeding program is underway in India to try and save the Himalayan wolf from extinction but sadly it is still very vulnerable due to farmers and ranchers killing and trapping them.
Studies show that this wolf species is possibly eight hundred thousand to one million years old.
Recently the Himalayan wolf was identified as a sub species of Canis Lupus(Grey Wolf) by using DNA testing.
The Himalayan wolf is now considered to be possibly the oldest living lineage existing of all wolf species today.
Sharing habitat with both the Indian wolf and the Eurasian wolf in the Himalayan region, the Himalayas is also the only place in the world where these three species of wolf exist simultaneously. This is also supporting the theory that the India region is most likely the home of modern wolf evolution.
Even though these three species of wolf share habitat, inter species clashes are non existent.
The Himalayan wolf keeps mainly to small sections of Mongolia, China, Kashmir and India. There are only about 350 of these wolves left but only in India are they protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act. A captive breeding program is underway in India to try and save the Himalayan wolf from extinction but sadly it is still very vulnerable due to farmers and ranchers killing and trapping them.
Studies show that this wolf species is possibly eight hundred thousand to one million years old.
Himalayan wolves in the wild.
A Himalayan wolf in the captive breeding program in India
