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Wolf Bites Woman in Hamburg, First Attack Since 1998

Published 31 March 2026

A wild wolf bit a woman in a shopping district of Hamburg, Germany's second-largest city, on Monday evening, marking what authorities believe to be the first known attack on a human by a wolf in the country since the animals returned nearly three decades ago. The incident occurred near Altona station, west of the city center, before police and firefighters captured the animal later that night from the Binnenalster lake in downtown Hamburg.

The woman was transported to a local hospital by the fire service following the encounter, according to reports from German news agency dpa. As of Tuesday, no updates were available on her medical condition, and police did not specify the location or severity of the bite. Investigators have not determined what prompted the attack, though the urban setting may have played a role in the animal's behavior.

Responding to multiple public reports of wolf sightings across the city, officers hauled the animal from the lake late Monday. It was then relocated to an enclosure on the outskirts of Hamburg. Officials suspect this is the same young wolf observed in the Blankenese suburb over the weekend. Experts assess that the animal, likely dispersing in...

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