India, April 9 -- In Kiraksal village of Satara district, local youth have led a two-year effort to document and protect the Indian wolf, showing how community-led work can turn a neglected grassland into a recognised wildlife habitat - a model now set to be replicated elsewhere.

Using camera traps, field surveys and habitat mapping, the team recorded 606 species, including 18 mammals under the Kiraksal Conservation Project undertaken by the village youth. The findings establish the area as an active zone for the Indian wolf, including breeding activity, rather than just a transit corridor. The den sites mapped during the study confirm this.

The project, which concluded in January 2026, released its report in February.

At the centre of...