Although wolf attacks are considered uncommon in comparison to moose or bear assaults, there appears to be an uptick in such encounters in recent years. More cases have been reported in Alaska and Canada after 2000, as wolves re-entered regions from which they had previously been evicted.
Furthermore, the majority of wolf assaults took place in national or provincial parks where wolves were protected. These were also areas where human activities such as camping and hiking were more popular. When you put two and two together, you realize that knowing how to survive a wolf attack is a need, not a luxury. If you are serious about hiking, you should never believe that “it can’t happen to me,” especially if you are a beginner. In this article, we will discuss what you need to do in order to survive a wolf attack.
How do Wolves Start Their Attacks?
Typically, when wolves hunt, they do so in groups. If you are attacked by a lone wolf, there are likely several in the vicinity. Wolves stalk their prey, remaining out of sight at first but eventually circling until they have surrounded it. They will then strike, ripping through the prey’s flesh, causing it to die of shock, tissue damage, and blood loss within minutes.
Notably, wolves do not typically view humans as prey, therefore if they attack humans, they may do so with greater caution. The teeth and claws of a wolf are so strong that they can cause serious harm or even death. Wolves typically begin their pursuit of humans from a distance, remaining hidden. Once you have observed wolves, it indicates that they intended you to see them, possibly as a warning to stay off their territory or away from their young.
You may hear them barking, growling, or making other warning sounds before you actually see them. If you disregard the warning, the wolves may strike, circling you before attacking and tearing you apart with their claws and jaws. However, wolves are not necessarily hostile toward people. They are often most aggressive when they are guarding their young, so if you approach their dens too closely, especially between April and July, you run the danger of being attacked. Wolf attacks on humans traveling in groups are uncommon, therefore you will be safer if you do not enter the wolf area alone.
Do Wolves Randomly Attack Humans?
Wolves, according to Conservation Northwest, prefer to avoid humans. As a result, they rarely, if ever, attack for no apparent reason. If you are the victim of a wolf attack, the reason may not be obvious, but there is nearly always a reason. The following are some of the reasons why wolves may attack humans:
The wolf perceives humans as a threat: If you are in a wolf’s territory, the wolf may become hostile in order to protect that territory. Wolves will also fight back if you attack them first or try to instigate a fight with them.
The wolf is defending its young: Wolves, like people, are protective of their offspring and dens. Consider this: if a weird creature approached your home with your children inside, wouldn’t you do whatever it took to keep the kids safe?
Wolves almost never pursue humans for sustenance, but if food is scarce or the wolf hasn’t eaten in days or weeks, it may be desperate enough to hunt the next human that wanders into its territory.
Important Things to Remember to Avoid Wolf Attacks
- Bring a leashed dog into wolf country with caution. If this doesn’t make sense right away, consider the disputes that frequently occur at dog parks when a dog gets into a fight with a larger dog. The dog-dog interaction is occasionally the source of conflict.
- Avoid hiking and camping alone in regions where wolves have been observed. Rangers at stations and campgrounds are helpful resources to ask about wolves in the area before trekking in and setting up camp.
- Don’t accustom a wolf to humans by feeding them or allowing them to get too comfortable around you. This is when disputes arise, if not for you, then for others. The reason for this is that wolves are intelligent and will quickly learn from people if given the opportunity. They may try to outwit you or treat you as if you were one of the pack. If that happens, you better hope they treat you as the alpha.
- If you come across any fresh wolf kills, dens, or rendezvous places, stay away from them. Again, park rangers are a valuable source of local knowledge that can help you avoid winding yourself into a dangerous location.
- Allow youngsters to play alone or away from camp in wolf country. These dogs are quite enormous, and a toddler is an easy prey.
Can a Human Survive a Wolf Attack?
Wolves are ferocious predators, but when they decide to attack humans, they exhibit an unusual amount of violence. It is feasible for a human to survive this attack, but they will most likely suffer major injuries that will necessitate immediate medical attention.
Wolves murder their prey by inflicting internal and external injuries, forcing the animal to bleed to death. A wolf’s teeth and claws may cause significant harm, and any human caught in their clutches is at risk of suffering the same injuries as any prey animal.
Excessive blood loss, shock, and death can result from both internal and exterior bleeding. If you are attacked by a wolf, it is critical to stop any visible blood flow and travel to a hospital as soon as possible if you suspect internal injuries of any type. The first step, of course, is to get away from the wolf, as wolves are fully capable of killing humans if they so desire.
How to Survive a Wolf Attack?
The majority of the time, if you spot a wolf, it will flee. They are uninterested in you. Wolves are so secretive that encountering one may be considered a lucky experience – I’ve only spotted wolves in the woods a few times. Of course, if something else is at work and you come across wolves in the wild who you believe are behaving predatorily, here are some steps you can take to get out of the situation.
- Maintain your cool. They’re cunning, and because they hunt in packs, they’ll be testing you for weaknesses.
- Don’t flee. This is the very worst thing you can do. Running immediately categorizes you as prey in their thinking – and you’re not faster than a wolf! If you’ve ever had a dog bite at your heels, you know what I’m talking about. Consider it in the same way as wolves, but with larger stakes.
- Let them know you’re in charge. That is, you make yourself large and tall. Wiggle your arms. Maintaining eye contact is essential. We are not a wolf’s typical prey, yet they are intelligent. Don’t let them see how weak you are.
- If you come across a wolf while walking your dog, quickly bring it to your side and leash it. Place yourself between the wolf and your dog. This is frequently the end of the encounter.
How to Fight a Wolf with Bare Hands?
If you’re going through wolf country, have a stick, knife, pepper spray, or other weapon in case you have to battle a wolf or another predator. If you don’t have a weapon and must fight with your bare hands, here are some pointers:
- Only fight in self-defense: If you see a wolf, avoid attacking it unless it is aggressively attacking you. If your life is in immediate danger and you are protecting yourself, you should never try to fight a wolf.
- Choke the wolf: When a wolf attacks, try to wrap your hands or arms around its neck. This should immobilize the wolf and lead it to lose unconscious as a result of a lack of oxygen.
- Prioritize the following areas: When fighting a wolf, focus your strikes or kicks at sensitive places that will experience a lot of pain or injury. The kidneys, ribs, and eyes are all excellent targets.
- Breaking the wolf’s bones may require a little more power or effort, but if nothing else is halting the attack, this may be your best option. Broken bones, particularly those in the legs and ribs, may cause the wolf to retreat and halt its attack, giving you time to flee.
- Don’t freak out: Whatever happens, don’t let the wolf sense your fear. Maintain a cool mind, try to intimidate the wolf, and most essential, remain calm.
Conclusion
You are quite fortunate if you spot a wolf. Over millennia, they’ve learnt to navigate their environment by trial and error. They’ve learned during hundreds of thousands of years of coexistence with humans in Eurasia that we’re not to be trifled with. Wolves keep their distance instinctively. While a few rare aggressive interactions make the news, they are the exception rather than the rule.
Now that you’ve learned a little bit about wolf behavior and have a few crucial survival strategies up your sleeve, I hope you’ll be able to smile when you see a wolf from a distance. They are incredible creatures.
