Wolfdogs should not be kept as pets, warn experts

In 2014 sightings of what looked like hybrids between stray dogs and wolves in Saswad on the outskirts of Pune caught the attention of conservationists and canine enthusiasts However there was no scientific confirmation of the new fledgling speciesSince then it has been a long journey for The Grasslands Trust a charitable trust working towards the conservation of Indian canidae and their habitats to prove the natural hybridisation They secured permission to collect the speciesrsquo fur and stool sample and run genetic tests at the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bengalurumdashit took a decade for them to prove that hybridisation between dogs canis familiaris and wolves canis lupis is realThe Indian grey wolf Canis lupus pallipes the apex predator in the grasslands of Maharashtra is affected the most by this The grasslands of Saswad Morgaon and Jejuri belt in Maharashtra are one of its last breeding bastionsDr Abi Tamim Vanak Mihir Godbole and ShirinDhabhar Canine BehaviouristThe lead scientist on the project Dr Abi Tamim Vanak senior fellow and director at the Centre for Policy Design at Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment Bengaluru told midday about their findings ldquoOur studies have confirmed ongoing hybridisationrdquo he says ldquoAnd there is evidence of secondgeneration hybrids that have mated with pure wolvesrdquoThis process known scientifically as introgression involves the introduction of dog genes into the wolf population altering the genetic integrity of wolves Vanak explains ldquoWhile dogs have descended from wolves domestication has made them smaller physically less powerful and less adept at huntingmdashskills that are not beneficial for the wolf population So the introduction of dog genes into the wolf population is detrimental to the latterrdquoThe behavioural aspects of these hybrids are still under observation but early findings suggest that they exhibit behaviours typical of wolves living in packs and working for the clan having been born into wolf packs Vanak said ldquoOne possible reason for this hybridisation could be the low wolf population in the region leading a female wolf to mate with a freeroaming dogrdquo Vanak saidOn the total population of wolves in Maharashtra Vanak said that since they are not forestdwelling animals it is difficult to determine their total population in the state as they dwell in grasslands spread of thousands of square kilometres Mihir Godbole founder and president of The Grasslands Trust and one of the researchers on the project estimates that there are about 35 to 40 breeding wolves in and around PuneCanine trainer and behaviourist Shirin Dhabhar sheds light on the dynamics of this match saying ldquoThis canrsquot be termed a behavioural change in mating patterns as wolves avoid humanpopulated areas and are always suspicious of them They are extremely shy creatures While dogs share some feral instincts with their prehistoric relatives they generally fear wolves which are stronger more skilled hunters and apex predatorsrdquo According to her the most likely scenario is that a dog wandered into the wolvesrsquo territory leading to the hybridisationDhabhar also cautions against the growing fascination with keeping wolfdogs as pets ldquoWolves are gorgeous animals but within just eight months a wolfdog can exhibit behaviours typical of actual wolvesmdashbecoming solitary and potentially aggressiverdquo she says ldquoThe romanticised notion of owning a wolfdog fades quickly when people realise the challenges of taming these instinctsrdquoAdding to the fascination Amey Deshpande a Punebased breeder who deals in toy breeds says that while the craze for wolfdogs is less pronounced in cities such as Mumbai and Pune it is more prevalent in the north especially in cities such as Delhi Ludhiana Jalandhar where people often keep challenging breeds such as Pitbulls and Rottweilers Maharashtra has a few wolfdog breeders who sell only on demand claims Deshpande Since these crossbreeds live close to human population Vanak said that they should be treated as wolves given their similar characteristicsmdashlike avoiding human contact and staying cautious of the human populationEchoing Dhabharrsquos concerns Vanak also addressed the legal and ethical issues surrounding the fascination with wolfdogs While laws in some Western countries may permit keeping them as pets Vanak warned that in India this is an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act 1976 He stressed that this poses risks to both the animals and their owners ldquoSuch fascinations should be avoidedrdquo he said adding that ldquoeven though hybridisation occurs naturally these species should be left in the wild where they belongrdquoAlso ReadWorld Wildlife Day 2024 Experts share safe hacks to deal with wildlife animals in humandominated spaces in Mumbai