Abundance of canids and human canid conflict in the Hindu Kush Mountain range of Pakistan

Abstract

This paper outlines the abundance of the three main canid species including gray wolf (Canis lupus), jackal (Canis aureus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) ascertained through camera trapping, questionnaire surveys and pastoralist experience of wolf in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range, Chitral, Pakistan. The study is the first ever attempt to debate on the status of canids since, 1970s. Using the photo capture rate (RAI), we confirmed the occurrence of the three species in the study sites, which include the protected areas and buffer zones of District Chitral. Trapping effort of 880 trap days resulted in the cumulative canid capture rate of 23.18. Overall capture rate of red fox was high (RAI=11.4), followed by jackal (RAI=9.3) and wolf (RAI=3.5). Maximum pack size of wolf captured was three and that of jackal was four individuals snapped in a single capture, while red fox was found to be solitary during this study. Furthermore, red fox was most nocturnal out of the three canids, while both wolf and jackal were found to be crepuscular species. The high capture rate (79.7%) of human with livestock coupled with increased predation of livestock by wolf (1.09losses/household/year) is a major warning to the survival of this large canid. Majority (70.17%) of the pastoralist community perceived wolf as most dangerous to livestock and wanted to reduce or eliminate (n=207; 86.97%) the species, highly suggestive that appropriate conservation measures are required to ensure the survival of wolf in the longer run.