The jungles in the heart of India are dense and deep, a stunning wilderness teeming with biodiversity. Rugged ravines, thick forests, savannah grass, sylvan meadows, streams, rivers and lakes create an ideal habitat for wild animals. This is the tiger’s playground. But the tiger is not the only predator to roam the region. Central India is also home to two other rare species – the Indian Grey Wolf and the Dhole i.e. the Indian Wild Dog.
There are many reasons why Central India is so rich in biodiversity. One is the abundance of a vast and varied prey-base. Ungulates such as deer, Nilgai (antelope), Gaur (bison) are prolific. These forests teem with species such as wild boar. There are plenty of smaller creatures such as primates, squirrels and mongoose and thousands upon thousands of avian species.
The other reason is that Central India has many different ranges and territories interconnected to one another. Each of it’s national reserves has a corridor to the next. Therefore there’s a healthy migration of DNA from one area to another and this has resulted in creating a very strong gene pool – particularly for the tiger. It’s a well documented fact that the tigers of Kanha are some of the most powerful and largest tigers in the Indian Subcontinent, primarily thanks to such robust genes that they have inherited over generations.
There are three distinct types of Wolf in India. The Himalayan and Tibetan wolf is found in the mountain regions of the subcontinent and Tibet. The Peninsular Wolf, also known as the Indian Gray Wolf, is the species we are most familiar with in the rest of the country and confined to the savannah grasslands of Central India. The Indian Gray Wolf is a lean, mean fighting machine. The wolf has a distinct place in Indian lore. After all, it was a pack of wolves that raised Mowgli, Kipling’s iconic forest child, and protected him from the tiger and the dhole.
Today there are only a few thousand of these creatures left – isolated due to habitat fragmentation. Unlike the tiger, the pack is central to the wolf’s existence and they need a vast range to roam and hunt for food. A single pack needs almost 200 square kilometres of range. The tragedy is that wolves are mercilessly hunted down by humans as they attack livestock and there is an ancient belief that they are “child lifters” ie they steal young children. Folklore has only perpetuated the “big bad wolf” legend.
Smaller than either the tiger or the wolf, but perhaps even more feared by prey, the Dhole or Indian Wild Dog, is a ferocious creature. Dhole usually hunt in packs and are opportunistic feeders. Unlike the tiger’s grunts and roars and the wolf’s howls, the Dhole has a distinct whistling sort of call that can even escalate into a banshee like scream. The minute the presence of a wild dogs is sensed by prey like Sambhar or Spotted Deer, they run for their lives. Wild dogs, however, have never been known to attack humans. A tiger or a wolf will wait for the kill to die before feeding on it, but wild dogs will often bring down the hunted animal and start to feed on it with a ravenous fervour, even before it’s completely dead. Wild dogs have tremendous staying power and can run for hours.
A tiger usually waits to ambush it’s prey striking at a strategic moment. Wild dogs will often pursue their prey for a long time until the hunted animal literally drops dead to the ground with exhaustion. Then they pounce on it. While Sambhar is usually preferred, a wild dog is not opposed to even attacking an elephant calf if it’s hungry enough. In the western ghats, it’s not uncommon to hear of run-ins between a pack of wild dogs and a mother elephant defending her babies.
Pench, Kanha and Satpura are three parks where all three predators coexist with one another. A broad range, a variety of flora and fauna, adequate prey, an abundance of water, and several corridors provide adequate habitat, food and cover for the regions tigers, wolves and wild dogs. Watch these predators in action in their natural habitat. Book your safari today at www.tigersafariindia.com
Sharad Vats brings over three decades of rich safari experience across the Indian wilderness, leading a passionate team dedicated to delivering seamless and memorable wildlife journeys. With deep knowledge of jungle logistics—ranging from flora and fauna to experienced guides and skilled jeep drivers—he ensures that every safari is thoughtfully curated and effortlessly executed, offering guests an immersive and almost ethereal experience in the wild.
Over the years, Sharad has also spent extensive time assisting guests, curating personalized tours, and leading wildlife expeditions, combining operational excellence with a deep understanding of guest expectations.
Beyond tourism, he is an active contributor to the wildlife ecosystem. His initiatives include planting and maintaining thousands of trees, creating safe passages and corridors for tigers, and establishing solar-powered waterholes across Kanha and other national parks. He is equally committed to community development, supporting and adopting schools in nearby villages, reflecting a holistic approach to conservation and sustainable tourism.
