The wolf sometimes approaches the heart of our towns and villages: should we be afraid of it? How can we deal with this predator? How do we live when we live on its territory? The web series Bêtes noires has set off on its trail for an adventure between myths, prejudices and reality.
In Switzerland, it is difficult to find an animal that is more talked about than the wolf. And for good reason: their numbers have exploded in recent years, reaching a peak at the end of last year. Before dropping back to 232 individuals in the spring of 2024; that is almost ten times more than ten years ago.
As a result of this increase, we are now seeing a hitherto unusual phenomenon: a proximity between this predator and human beings, even a certain habituation. Videos of not very shy wolves posted on social networks make it clear that the canine now lives close, very close to us. This denser cohabitation is sparking a lively social debate and is rekindling the question – and the risk – of an attack on a human being.
>> Read: A face-to-face encounter with a wolf is becoming less and less unlikely in Switzerland
Walk in the city center
Among the notable amateur videos that have circulated on the networks, there was first the case, in 2017, of a nighttime walk by a wolf in Bulle (FR), a town of 27,000 inhabitants. In 2022, in the Val d’Anniviers (VS), a woman walking with her dog was reportedly followed “for nearly 200 meters by the wolf”, she assures. Last year, the visit of a canine to a residential area of Monthey had caused a great stir. Finally, in January 2024, a lone wolf was walking quietly, in broad daylight, in the streets of Brassusin the Joux Valley (VD).
A wolf has approached humans several times, once within two metres.
Humans not on the menu
Despite the unusual – and impressive – nature of these encounters, there is no cause for concern: “It’s atypical, but it can happen,” explains Manuela von Arx, a predator specialist for KORAa foundation concerned with carnivore ecology and wildlife management. “The wolf does not consider humans as prey. It will not approach them voluntarily, even if they are children.”
“Bold Wolf” Shot Down
But it does happen that a wolf exhibits strangely unshy behaviour on several occasions: “We then consider this individual to be a bold or daring wolf,” continues the specialist, referring to an incident that occurred in January 2022 – the first of its kind in Switzerland – in the commune of Sumvitgin Grisons.
“A wolf approached humans several times, including one time when it followed a person two meters away. And then the authorities shot this individual,” she concludes.
Two deaths in twenty years
Even though they are extremely rare, wolf attacks on humans remain possible. In Switzerland, no cases have been reported to date. According to a study which is a reference, this phenomenon is very rare in North America and in the European Union: fourteen people were victims of an attack, two of them fatally, between 2002 and 2020.
On a global scale, however, the situation is different: 489 attacks were recorded during the same period, including 26 fatal ones. It should be noted that the vast majority of these were carried out by rabid wolves.
>> Some additional information and photos about the wolf:
>> The previous episode of Black Beasts: Are our snakes so dangerous?
Simon Gabioud & Michael Lapaire / sjaq
 afraid of us? – rts.ch){kind=link}