Wolf Captured After Series of Fatal Attacks in Northern India

One of the wolves from a pack behind for the deaths of eight people in a forested area of north India was captured on Thursday, CBS News reports, citing local authorities.

The attacks, which have emerged over the past six weeks in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, claimed the lives of seven children and a woman.

On July 17, a one-year-old boy was killed in Sikandarpur village. A week later, wolves attacked again, snatching a three-year-old girl from her courtyard as she slept. Her mutilated remains were later found in a nearby field.

In the weeks that followed, six additional victims were attacked as the wolves targeted people sleeping outside their homes — a common practice during the sweltering summer months in rural India. Most recently, an infant was killed in an attack late Tuesday night.

Officials from the Uttar Pradesh forestry department confirmed the capture of one wolf from the pack of six. The animal was tranquilized and relocated to a zoo. Earlier in the month, three other wolves were also captured, leaving two still at large.

“Based on pugmarks and drone footage, we identified around six stray wolves and set traps accordingly,” said Vineet Singh, the Divisional Forest Officer for Bahraich district.

The first wolf was captured on August 19, with the latest capture occurring in the Mahsi area.

To assist in the search, officials deployed 16 expert teams utilizing various technologies, including thermal cameras and drones, to track the remaining wolves. They have also implemented a strategy of burning elephant dung to create smoke and spreading elephant urine to form a natural scent barrier. This tactic aims to keep the wolves — who typically avoid large animals — within the designated trapping area, as explained by senior Forest Department officer Akash Deep Badhawan.

State authorities have advised residents against sleeping outside and moving around alone at night.

While attacks by big cats and elephants are not uncommon in India, wolf attacks are relatively rare. According to government records, over 300 people were killed in tiger attacks across the country between 2018 and 2022. Experts attribute the increase in human-wildlife encounters to the expansion of towns and villages into wilderness areas, which reduces the natural habitats and hunting grounds for many species.