Spatio-temporal and socio-economic drivers of livestock depredation by Indian wolves in the Chhotanagpur plateau, eastern India

Human-carnivore conflict is a significant conservation and livelihood challenge in human-dominated landscapes. We examined the spatio-temporal and socio-economic factors influencing livestock depredation by Indian grey wolves (Canis lupus pallipes) in and around Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary, the first wolf sanctuary in India. Structured interviews were conducted with 345 households across 69 villages and integrated with ecological and anthropogenic predictors to assess patterns of wolf-induced livestock depredation and associated economic losses. More than half of the respondents (57.4%) reported losing livestock, with a total of 415 goats killed, corresponding to an estimated economic loss of ₹2.07 million during the study period. Depredation probability was significantly influenced by time of day, season, and location of attack, with events peaking at night and early morning and during winter and early-summer months. Geographically, open pastures and forests along the sanctuary boundary were the most risky places, whereas the rate of depredation was relatively lower near villages or within closed shelters. Proximity to the sanctuary boundary significantly increased household economic losses, whereas variables such as Sarna religion, Below Poverty Line status and goat-keeping structure showed weaker or non-significant effects. The results demonstrate that ecological opportunity and household vulnerability jointly shape wolf-livestock interactions in the Mahuadanr landscape. These findings highlight spatio-temporal and socio-economic factors associated with livestock depredation by wolves in eastern India.