Many officers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) often share beautiful videos of wildlife on social media platforms that go viral in no time. Today let’s have a look at the story of an IFS officer whose efforts made India’s only wolf sanctuary possible. Who also played a very special role in saving wolves from extinction.
The name of this IFS officer is SP Shahi. Due to his immense efforts, the Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary came into existence in Latehar, Jharkhand, in 1976. It is the only wolf sanctuary in the country and is currently home to about 31,000 wolves.
SP Shahi entered the bureaucracy in the year 1942. He was appointed as a timber supply officer in the Forest Department of Bihar. In 1960, when he was 43, he became the country’s first and youngest Chief Conservator of Forests. He served the country as a forest officer until his retirement in 1976.
SP Shahi, while holding the post of Forest Officer, worked hard for many years to declare Mahuadanr a wolf sanctuary for the protection of wolves. Finally, the day came in the year 1976 when this 63.25-square-kilometre forest area was declared a wolf sanctuary.
SP Shahi loved wolf conservation so much that he continued to work for it even after retirement. He continued to work for the whole ecosystem, including caring for and breeding wolf parks in Mahuadanr. He died in 1986. It was a major setback for wolf conservation efforts in India.
The Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary is in the Mahuadanr CD Block of Latehar, Jharkhand. It is under the administrative control of the Deputy Director, South Division, Medininagar, under Palamau Tiger Reserve Circle. The sanctuary was declared on June 23, 1976, vide the Government of Bihar’s extraordinary gazette.
The sanctuary has a variety of ecological niches, making it a significant area for conservation. A census of wild species was carried out, and 78 wolf breeding dens were identified in 13 protected forests of the sanctuary. Based on the transect, sign survey, and interaction with villagers, 27 species of mammals, 19 species of birds, 18 species of reptiles, 8 species of amphibians, and 30 species of butterflies were recorded.
