After the bites inflicted by three wolves on a woman in an animal park in Yvelines, Jean-Marc Landry, biologist and ethologist specializing in this animal, puts forward hypotheses on the reasons for such an attack.
It is an attack that raises many questions. A 37-year-old woman, who was jogging in the Thoiry zoological park (Yvelines), was seriously injured after being bitten by three wolves, on the neck, calf and back, Sunday June 23. The vital prognosis of the victim, first transported in absolute emergency to the hospital, is no longer in jeopardy.
The circumstances of the attack remain unclear: were the signs prohibiting access to the area of the zoo where the wolves are found visible enough? Did the jogger deliberately cross them? “I am not able to say if it was she who made a mistake or if the marking was not well done,” currently explains the public prosecutor of Versailles, Maryvonne Caillibotte. The investigation will have to determine this. Questions also arise about the actions of the wolves. Jean-Marc Landry, biologist and ethologist specializing in wolves, explains to Release that animals in captivity do not behave at all the same as those in the wild and these wolves may have felt threatened by this foreign presence.
Can we know why the wolves attacked?
The first thing to take into account is that wolves in captivity no longer behave the same way as in the wild, particularly towards humans. As they see the keepers and the public on a daily basis, they can get used to it and no longer be afraid of it, whereas in the wild, they flee from humans. The interactions are therefore totally different.
In this case, there are several hypotheses. First, we would need to know if there is reproduction in this pack. If this is the case, the jogger could have passed near Cub Scouts. The wolves could have reacted to ward off this threat. Another hypothesis is more probable: a rapid movement can trigger, in canids, such as dogs and wolves, a pursuit behavior, very well known and documented in herding dogs, which, for example, chase bicycles.
A third hypothesis: wolves are accustomed to caregivers who adopt appropriate behaviors. Faced with this woman, they perhaps felt a threat. In addition, the social cohesion of wolves can be very strong in animal parks and they may have perceived this intruder as a foreign species to be kept away from their “territory”. If it had been a dog or another wolf that had entered this area, we can imagine that the same thing would have happened.
Can you explain what causes this pursuit reflex?
In some canines, such as dogs and wolves, sudden or rapid movement can trigger a genetically inherited behavior called a “motor pattern.” When canines see an animal running, or making disorderly movements, it can trigger chasing behavior. This is not intentional, but rather a reflex which can lead to a succession of behaviors (other motor patterns) which can go as far as a grasping (holding) or killing bite. The same phenomenon can be observed with dogs, although their bites are less strong.
Is this predation?
In this situation, I don’t think that the wolves wanted to “predate” the jogger, but rather that her running triggered chasing behavior and that in the mutual excitement, with the pack effect, one or more wolves bit . In this park, the wolves come from North America, they are imposing and are capable of killing bison and elk. The bite to the neck could have been extremely violent to the point of killing this lady, but that was not the case. This is what concerns me and makes me think that there was no desire to kill.
You also tell us that captivity changes the behavior of wolves…
Yes, absolutely. Any animal species in captivity, in any wildlife park, does not have the same behavior as a wild species. We notice more aggressive behavior among wolves in captivity because there is more stress in an enclosed space. On the contrary, we observe more friendly behavior among wild wolves.
Are hikers at risk from wild wolves?
Free-ranging wolves almost never attack humans. They tend to run away from it: in twenty years, there have only been twelve attacks in Western Europe, two of which were fatal. And these animals are rather nocturnal. If you ever come across a wolf, you should always face it, because it will see you as a danger and will not attack. And if you visit an animal park, you must of course respect the rules relating to the presence of these large carnivores.
