Several incidents involving a wolf have prompted Dutch authorities to issue an urgent warning for residents, particularly those with young children, to avoid wooded areas in the central part of the country.
This alert was issued late Wednesday night following multiple “disturbing incidents” with a wolf, as reported by DPA and BILD.
The most recent incident occurred on Wednesday morning when a “large animal,” believed to be a wolf, knocked down a child near the small village of Austerlitz, approximately 16 kilometers east of Utrecht. Fortunately, the child was unharmed. However, ten days earlier, a girl was bitten in the same area, with DNA tests confirming the attacker was a wolf.
The region in question is densely wooded and popular among hikers, cyclists, and runners, according to DPA. In early July, a woman reported that her poodle was killed by a wolf, and local officials suspect the same wolf is responsible for all three incidents.
Experts on wolves have noted that the animal is displaying “atypical and troubling behavior.” Wolves returned to the Netherlands in 2015 after a 150-year absence. Although dozens have been sighted since then, these animals typically avoid humans.
Authorities in the province of Utrecht are preparing to issue a permit to cull the wolf and have also provided guidelines on what to do if one encounters a wolf. They advise against running, suggesting instead to make gestures, create noise, and slowly back away.
Dutch news outlet AD.nl reported that a wolf pack with cubs is present in the area, which might explain the wolves’ aggressive behavior.
