Why do wolves become man-eaters? Bahraich attacks explained

Wolves and humans have co-existed for a long time but recent attacks by man-eating wolves in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh have left villagers living in fear

Wolves, often depicted in movies and television shows as linked to supernatural phenomena, are in reality fearsome hunters. The most recent reminder of their prowess as predators is the deaths of eight children and one woman in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich.

A representative image of an Indian wolf. Wolves have been attacking human beings in Bahraich division of Uttar Pradesh for the past two months (Photo: Mihir Godbole)

A pack of six wolves has been terrorising villages in the Bahraich division over the past two months. They have hunted nine humans over the past two months.

The forest department later launched Operation Bhediya and caught four wolves. They are looking for the remaining two members of the pack.

Kishore Kumar, a local, told News18, that this was the first time such attacks had been experienced by the villagers. The International Wolf Centre (IWC) supports his statement as well. Wolves, among most carnivorous predators, are quite unlikely to attack humans, it says.

Do wolves usually attack humans?

A global study by the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research from 2002-2020 showed only 26 fatal wolf attacks on humans took place around the world in that time period. Out of these, four occurred in India and were fatal because the victims contracted rabies.

In fact, the study considers the risk of wolf attacks to be “above zero, but far too low to calculate.”

Reasons for wolves becoming man-eaters

• Habituation - One of the key theories on why these wolves may have become man-eaters is the phenomenon of habituation. While wolves are shy creatures who do not venture out of their territories, living close to human habitations often rids them off their inhibitions and they start preying in human settlements.

• Cross breeding of wolves and dogs - Biologist Yadvendradev Jhala says cross breeding of dogs in the area and wolves could have also led to wolves becoming more comfortable in human spaces and thus preying within these areas as well.

• Loss of habitat or food source - Scarcity of usual sources of food may also lead to such attacks. Wolves can attack if they feel threatened or if they don't have enough food.

Wolves also often hunt smaller prey - preferring animals which are weaker, more vulnerable. This explains the disproportionate number of children killed by the animals in UP.

Wolves who become man-eaters often prey on children, according to the IWC, as they are easy victims.

Data from the IWC till 2020 shows that there were 4,400–7,100 wolves in India. The Indian wolf is legally protected against hunting under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Though wolves have co-existed with humans in the jungles, fields, and floodplains of the Ghaghara river for a long time, the Bahraich attacks have highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the roots of man-animal conflicts and its dire consequences.