A hunt is on to find the ‘problematic’ wolf which has been filmed prowling around a Greek holiday resort showing no fear of humans and has now attacked a young child
A young girl has been bitten in a vicious attack by a wolf at a holiday resort in Greece.
The five-year-old is understood to have been on holiday with her family when the wild animal pounced at the holiday hotspot of Neos Marmaras, on the Halkidiki peninsula, in the north of the country. Fortunately the young wolf was scared off by the mother of the child who didn’t suffer serious injuries.
The girl, from Serbia, was bitten and scratched on the back and a leg during the attack, which happened last Friday at around 8am. Local reports said that she was playing on the beach when the wolf suddenly appeared and pounced on her.
The unnamed child was taken to a health centre for treatment and transferred to a hospital as a precaution before being discharged. Authorities are now trying to track the wolf which a wildlife group believes has developed a “problematic” relationship with humans.
Iason Bantios, a spokesman for the organisation Callisto, said: “It appears to be a young wolf who has developed a problematic… familiarity with humans. This does not generally happen with wolves.”
Cameras have now been set up in the area in the bid to locate the animal with the Halkidiki area known to be home to wolves and jackals. People have also been warned to take care especially with dogs and children.
Mr Bantios, reported Proto Thema, said: “We advise people in Neos Marmaras to avoid walking around with dogs or children after dark and early in the morning.”
Footage shows the wolf walking confidently within the village and around beach huts showing no fear of humans, which is an obvious concern for local residents and tourists.
“Drones fly at night to track the wolf’s movements. Traps will be placed this week to capture the animal,” said Athanasios Mallinis, the Deputy Mayor of Sithonia. “It is the first time in Greece that a wolf attack on a human has been recorded. Until now, we have only had wolf attacks on animals .”
It comes after a six-year-old child was attacked by a wolf and dragged into woods in front of his horrified mum in the Netherlands.
The youngster had been playing at a nature reserve near Austerlitz, Utrecht, when the wolf pounced and left him with severe bite wounds requiring stitches. After being dragged into woods, two men rushed to help and fought off the animal with sticks to free the boy.
It is the latest in a long list of wolf attacks in the area and it is believed to have been carried out by a “problem wolf” given the number GW3237m with the rogue animal nicknamed Bram. He has also been responsible for biting a girl and knocking over a toddler.