Join me on an early morning trip from Pune to Kadbanwadi to look for the elusive Indian wolf. Waking up at 2 a.m. and driving for three hours was just the beginning of this journey. Kadbanwadi, a semi-arid grassland typical of the Deccan Plateau, may seem barren at first glance, but it teems with life when we look closely.
Despite my tempered expectations, having not seen a wolf since 2012, this trip surprised me. Amid the scrub jungle, we spotted a wolf easily, soon joined by the rest of its pack. This rare encounter was a dream come true, bringing me within five feet of these magnificent creatures.
Throughout the day, we observed these social animals, part of a larger pack in this unique habitat. Indian wolves, a subspecies of the grey wolf, are the apex predators of India's grasslands but face significant threats from habitat loss and human-wildlife conflict.
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