"Killer Wolves" Of Bahraich Trigger Panic Killing Of Jackals In Bihar

The fear generated by the wolf pack of Bahraich is being felt in other parts of the country. After 8 people, including 7 children and a woman, were killed by wolves over around 45 days, neighbouring Bihar is seeing a panic reaction.

In Bihar's Maksudpur, a jackal was brutally killed because of the fear generated by sensational reports of the "killer wolves" of Bahraich. The jackal -- spotted in the ruins of the Maksudpur fort -- created panic. The animal was cornered and beaten to death.

This has left conservationists concerned about the reporting of such events.

"Media has a huge responsibility to stop the spread of unnecessary panic... The recent spate of alleged killings of children by wolves in Bahraich and the extensive coverage it has got in national and regional media are responsible for such barbaric acts in places that are hundreds of kilometers away," said Dr Anish Andheria, President and CEO - Wildlife Conservation Trust.

"There are many wrong things about this incident - a) mindless clobbering of an animal in cold blood, b) the criminals have mistaken a jackal for a wolf, c) the act highlights absolute disrespect towards the law [Wildlife (Protection) Act (1972)], d) video-graphing the entire act shows sadistic tendencies in the perpetrator/s," he said.

Golden jackals are fairly common across India and are distinctly different from the other canid species, the Indian grey wolf.  

Compared to these wolves, the jackals have shorter legs, tail and snout. They are distinctively smaller in size as well. Both are found mainly in grasslands and scrublands. Unfortunately, the range lies outside protected areas, as in UP's Bahraich and it is a victim of unchecked development and shrinking territory.

Indian scientist and former Dean of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dr YV Jhala, an expert on Indian wolves, said: "People have been misinformed by the media which is blowing it out of proportion and context. It's time to take responsibility and not sensationalise and exaggerate. Simple solution to reducing the attacks and deaths is to be vigilant, take care of children always accompanied by adults, sleep indoors with doors closed or blocked with thorn hedge".

The lack of prey base is another challenge in the area.

"There is no natural wild prey in the area," said Dr Jhala. "Children are vulnerable to all predators including dogs if they are not looked after carefully," he said.

Poor housing and sanitation facilities due to extreme poverty, compounded with lack of parental care (because of absentee and working parents) in this part of the country create a unique situation, where it becomes easier to kill children compared to livestock.

In Uttar Pradesh, officials have caught four wolves so far under "Operation Bhediya".

The Bahraich district magistrate, and senior police and forest officials, have been leading the ongoing efforts along with divisional forest officers of four districts. High-frequency drone cameras have been used to monitor the wolf pack. The forest department has also been using elephant dung and urine to divert the wolves' route when the attack occurred.

Officials said on Sunday that they have detected the presence of two wolves through drones and would capture them by today or tomorrow.

The Indian grey wolf, a sub species of the grey wolf, is highly endangered, like the tiger and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.