Arctic wolf attacks child during zookeeper event, girl airlifted to hospital
An Arctic wolf injured an eight-year-old girl during a zookeeper event at Wildpark Johannismühle in Germany on 28 October. She was treated by first responders and airlifted to a Berlin hospital; the incident has prompted an investigation and checks by animal welfare authorities.
Police said the child was injured by at least one wolf while caretakers were giving water to animals in the enclosure. Two other girls were present, and a caretaker acted to protect them. The girl’s condition has not been made public, though local reporting described her head injuries as critical; the park is closed until 2 November while authorities investigate.
In short
- An eight-year-old was injured by a wolf at a German wildlife park.
- She was airlifted to hospital with critical head injuries reported locally.
- Authorities are investigating and will assess the animals and park.
Explained simply
Arctic wolves are a subspecies of grey wolf adapted to the cold Arctic regions of North America and Greenland. Like other wolves, they are predators and live in social groups; they are wild animals even when kept in a zoo or wildlife park.
Wildpark Johannismühle is a wildlife park in Brandenburg, south of Berlin, where visitors can see animals in outdoor enclosures. Zookeeper events give visitors a chance to watch staff care for animals, but they take place near the enclosures, so safety depends on keeping visitors and animals appropriately separated.
German police and animal welfare authorities investigate incidents involving people and captive animals to establish what happened and whether safety or care rules were followed. Their findings can inform decisions about the park’s practices and the conditions in which the animals are kept.