Meet Randeepak, India’s 1st Wolf Pup Born In Wild To Zoo-Bred Pair In Gujarat!

In a successful conservation attempt, India’s first wolf pup was recently born in Kutch’s Nadabet. Named Randeepak, it is the first birth wolf pup to be born out of a captive-bred wolf pair in India. The event is a major milestone in the Gujarat Forest Department’s wolf conservation efforts and in the reintroduction of wolves in India. Here’s more on it.

First Captive-Bred Wolf Pup Born In India 

Wolves, an endangered species, are highly vulnerable in the early stages of their lives. Conservationists are working hard to increase their numbers in India. But now, in a major breakthrough, a male wolf pup has recently been born in the open expanses of Kutch’s Nadabet in Gujarat. As per a report by The Times of India, this wolf pup is the first to be born in the wild. It was born last year to a captive-bred pair, Sona and Pradeep.

Named Randeepak, which means ‘light of the desert’, this wolf pup has become a symbol of success in the State Forest Department’s continuous efforts for their wolf conservation programme. Conservationists are calling it a major success. You would also like to know that the pup was born in the conservationists’ first attempt to release the zoo-bred carnivore into the wild. Moreover, this is only the second such success in the world for wolves, after a red wolf was reintroduced in the US.

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Reintroduction Efforts And Adaptation In The Wild

As per the same report, in September 2024, a pack of four captive-bred wolves, Sona, Pradeep, with their two pups, was released in the wild in Nadabet. Two months later, in December, officials introduced another five-member pack to life in the wild in Satalpur Taluka.

Jaipal Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, stated that both wolf packs have adapted smoothly to their surroundings in the wild. Reportedly, reintroducing them into the wild can significantly help restore the food chain. Around 90% of their kills are nilgai, wild boars, rabbits and other small animals. Moreover, their reintroduction has brought hyenas and jackals back to these wild spaces in Kutch, Gujarat.

Karamsinh Desai, who is in charge of the wolf conservation programme, shared with TOI that the wolf packs are first bred in captivity. The pups are then trained for survival before officials release them into the wild. Furthermore, officials are also expecting Sona and Pradeep to have more litters, so more wolf pups can be born in India.

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This news is certainly great for wildlife in Kutch. Officials are making continuous efforts to increase their numbers in the area. They are aiming to restore a thriving wolf population in Gujarat. 

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva Pro/ diapicard (Representative Image)