Himalayan Wolf

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Himalayan Wolf
Captive moulting Himalayan Wolf in Bangladesh
Captive moulting Himalayan Wolf in Bangladesh
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Canidae
Genus: Canis
Species: C. himalayensis
Trinomial name
Canis lupus himalayensis
R. K. Aggarwal et al., 2007 [1]

The Himalayan Wolf, originally thought to belong to Tibetan wolf (Canis lupus chanco), which is a subspecies of the Gray wolf, may represent a distinct canid species, Canis himalayensis[1]. It is native to a small region in northern India (Jammu and Kashmir and then Himachal Pradesh) and eastern Nepal in the Himalayas. DNA research suggested that this wolf may represent (together with the Indian Wolf) an ancient isolated line of wolves in India. The Himalayan wolf only has a small population of 350 animals, and 21 specimens live in zoos throughout India [Inventory of animals in Indian Zoos 2000-2001, New Delhi, India 2002, 314.].

Contents

[edit] History

Historically, scientists have named at the very least 32 different subspecies of the gray wolf. These differences among subspecies were based primarily on differences in morphology. The Himalayan wolf was usually believed to be a part of the Canis lupus chanco subspecies. New evidence based on the mitochondrial DNA shows that the Himalayan wolf could be a new subspecies and perhaps even a distinct species. It is believed the Himalayan wolf separated from the Gray wolf approximately 800,000 years ago. If in fact it is a new species, new questions arise as to why it wasn't able to perpetuate across the globe in the same matter as its relative the Gray wolf. [2]

[edit] Habitat

The habitat of the Himalayan Wolf is confined to small pockets of India, Kashmir, and into China and Mongolia. It is believed that when this species first evolved, they were surrounded by glaciers and other physical areas that did not promote expansion and perpetuation. Much of their habitat is shared by another newly discovered species, the Indian Wolf. It is unknown as to why these two forms do not interbreed in spite of the overlap in habitat.

Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh
Kalpa, Himachal Pradesh

[edit] Evolution

Up until recently it was believed that all wolves and dogs were part of the wolf-dog clade meaning that all domesticated dogs are derived from wolves. When the Himalayan lineage was studied, it was found that the wolf shared no genetic markers with gray wolves or dogs. This indicates that the Himalayan wolf played no role in the domestication of dogs. When the divergence of the Himalayan wolf occurred 800,000 years ago, the habitat of modern day Nepal was going through major geologic and climate upheaval. The Himalayan region, also home to the Indian Wolf and the Gray Wolf, is the only geographical location in the entire world were these three species of wolves exist, thereby supporting the theory that the Indian region is the most likely place of modern wolf evolution.

[edit] Outlook

The future of the Himalayan wolf is uncertain at best. Up until recently, it wasn't known that the Himalayan wolf differs genetically from other wolves. Recent studies have estimated the population to be only 350 individuals. These wolves are viewed as a menace to local farmers and ranchers and in turn are killed because they are unprotected. Therefore, it is imperative that these animals become protected because they represent the oldest extant lineage of any species of wolf on the planet. The species is estimated to be 800,000 years old which is twice as old as the North American Gray wolf at 400,000 years old.

[edit] Captive breeding and saving

18 Himalayan wolves are being bred in captivity. They were captured in the wild, as one of the threatened species was found with the snow leopard and are now being preserved in the Trans-Himalayan region of India, the Darjeeling Zoo in Shiwalik Hills on the lower range of the Himalaya in West Bengal, and in the Kufri Zoo with Kufri Himalayan National Park located in Himachal Pradesh province.[3] . In 2004, larger groups of Himalyan wolves were spotted in the Spiti valley.[4]. The total population evaluates for 21 individuals in four of the Zoological Parks of India.[5]study sample tuck

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ R. K. Aggarwal, T. Kivisild, J. Ramadevi, L. Singh:Mitochondrial DNA coding region sequences support the phylogenetic distinction of two Indian wolf species. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, Volume 45 Issue 2 Page 163-172, May 2007 online
  • 1. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 45 (2), 163–172.

doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2006.00400.x. R. K. Aggarwal, T. Kivisild, J. Ramadevi, L. Singh (2007). Volume 45 Issue 2 Page 163-172, May 2007. ...Distinction of two Indian wolf species

  • 2. Ramesh K. Aggarwal, J. Ramadevi and Lalji Singh.Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500 007, India. Genome Biology 2003. Ancient origin and evolution of the Indian wolf [6]
  • 3. Sharma, D. K., J. E. Maldonaldo, Y. V. Jhala, and R. C. Fleischer. 2003. Ancient wolf lineages in India. Proceedings of the Royal Society, London B (Supplement) Biology Letters. Published online August 8, 2003. "Ancient wolf lineages in India."
  • 4. Wolves in India. The Ancient Wolves of India. Wolf.org.
  • 5. Wolves. Did They Originate In South Asia? By Dipesh Satapathy. An Indo-U.S. team of zoologists uncovers fascinating evidence about the evolution of wolves in India. UsembassyState.