The wolf is a very strong and dangerous predatory animal. Usually, these animals don't attack humans, but you should be prepared for the worst situation if you are in wolf territory. If you are attacked by a wolf, don't run away. Maintain eye contact, make yourself look big, and make loud, intimidating noises. Get to a safe place as soon as possible.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Escape from Wolf Attack
Step 1. Stay away from areas where wolves have been seen
Try not to be seen. If you see the wolf first, walk away slowly. Stay alert. Remember, if there is one wolf, chances are there are other wolves nearby. Although sometimes traveling alone, wolves always hunt in packs.
Step 2. Move away slowly if the wolf sees you
Always maintain eye contact and don't turn around. If you try to escape, make sure the wolf is always in front of you. If you turn your back to the wolf, its predatory instincts can be triggered. Move away slowly while still facing the pack of wolves.
Step 3. Don't run away
Wolves are much faster than humans, especially when running in the forest. What's more, your actions will actually trigger the wolf's predatory instincts. If the wolves didn't chase you before, you're more likely to be chased while running away.
Part 2 of 3: Reacting to Attacks
Step 1. Be aggressive and noisy when approached
Step up to the wolf, make loud noises, shout and clap. Step back slowly. Continue to be aggressive and make noise. Keep eye contact and don't turn your back on the wolf.
- Try not to fight wolves unless you have no other choice. Wolves are strong and intelligent animals, with powerful jaws and killer instincts. There's a good chance that you'll be able to repel the wolves, but the odds are slim when you're dealing with a herd.
- Take deep breaths and try to stay calm. The wolf can sense your fear. If you panic, you can stiffen or run away so you can't fight to save yourself
Step 2. Fight back
If the wolf attacks, remove it with sticks, rocks, bear spray, air horns, or whatever weapon you have. Find a position that makes it easier for you to defend yourself, such as your back to a tree or a large rock. Don't let a wolf attack from behind.
Don't try to "melt in with nature" or snuggle into a fetal position. This will not prevent the wolf from attacking you. In most cases, wolves only stop attacking if you intimidate them and present a greater threat that can drive them away
Step 3. Stay alert
If you manage to get rid of the wolf, go to a safe place calmly and quickly. Climb trees, boulders, or other tall landscapes. If possible, get into a car or building.
Don't relax just yet. Wolves can follow near you or your campsite and wait for the next opportunity. If it feels very hungry, the wolf can try to attack again
Step 4. Gather
If you and a group of other people are attacked by a pack of wolves, make sure children and injured people are in the middle. When attacking a group of prey, wolves will attack the weakest people first: children, the elderly, and the sick. Whatever happens, don't let your group break up. Make sure there is one person watching in each direction so you are not attacked from both directions.
- The wolf attacks the weakest prey first. You are all considered prey by the wolves. Usually, children are targeted first because they are small and weak. In the vast majority of cases, wolves' attacks on humans always start with children.
- This is how the polar wolf hunts muskox (a type of long-haired ox). The wolves watched the pack of prey from a distance, and waited before attacking from both directions and distracting the muskox so that the formation opened. Another wolf then penetrates into the middle of the herd to attack the weak muskox inside.
Step 5. Watch your dog closely
If you're hiking with your dog in wolf territory, don't keep your pet out of sight. Take the droppings, order them to stay still, and prevent the dog from open defecation. All of these behaviors will invite wolves to come and see you and your dog as intruders. Dogs and wolves use poop, pee, claw and roll to mark their territory. Dogs will attack dogs that violate their territory.
Part 3 of 3: While Camping
Step 1. Make a bonfire
If wolves are roaming around your camp, light a smoky bonfire to keep the predators at bay. Use green leaves and damp wood to create as much smoke as possible. Make a bonfire near a tree, or spread it across several trees. Apply sap or resin to the branch and set it on fire. Try to blow the smoke with the help of the wind towards the pack of wolves.
Wolves are afraid of fire and smoke because they look dangerous. If there are cubs in the herd, (usually in the spring, when the cubs are born), the fire will force the wolf pack to move to another nesting location if the she-wolf feels the safety of the cubs is in danger
Step 2. Create a shelter
Use branches, rocks, sharp sticks to create a barricade around your camp. If made well, these barricades can prevent wolves from entering. However, don't forget that wolves can still smell and hear your voice.
Step 3. Make the noise as loud as possible
The wolf howled to acknowledge its territory. If you are in a group, sing and shout together. Make the sound as loud and loud as possible.
Don't try to imitate a wolf's howl. This can attract wolves towards you. Lone wolves howl to imitate other members of the herd, and will come when humans imitate their howls
Tips
- Lone wolves will often not attack you directly. Make yourself bigger and intimidating by spreading your arms, flicking your jacket, and holding things in your hands. Wolves have a natural fear of humans.
- If the wolf tries to attack you, don't run! Wolves have a natural instinct to chase escaping prey. Running away would only trigger the wolf hunting instinct.
- If possible, learn about wolves before going into their territory. Your chances of survival are higher if you know the behavior of wolves well.
- Wolves are very protective of their cubs, and do not like strangers touching them (there is a chance that the mother wolf will abandon her cubs). If you find a wolf cub, stay away!
- Don't treat wolves like pet dogs. A wolf has a bite force of 2,100 kg per square kilometer, much stronger than a dog!
- If you see a wolf in your neighborhood in the spring/winter season, it's likely that the wolf was recently separated from the pack and still doesn't know humans. At first this wolf will be curious about you, and this is normal. It's best to get rid of the wolf so it doesn't bring trouble to your town.
- Don't take your eyes off the wolf, but DON'T look straight into the wolf's eyes either. This will only make the wolf more aggressive.
- Make sure you travel with a group. Thus, the chances of repelling the wolves will be greater.
- Wolves, like most predators, prioritize safety over food. If you can make yourself appear more dangerous to fight, wolves will usually prefer to stop attacking and stop hunting.
- If you find a sleeping wolf, walk away quietly and slowly. Never approach a wolf because you will be bitten/attacked. Don't forget wolves are wild and unpredictable animals!
Warning
- If you are bitten by a wolf, call emergency services or go to the hospital immediately. Wolves rarely bite unless provoked, but sometimes it can happen. Just in case, you need to get a rabies vaccine injection or a booster for the rabies vaccine.
- Don't try to run from the wolves. Stay in the group and protect the kids in the middle. Throw rocks at the wolves, make as much noise as possible, and try to make yourself seem intimidating. One in five wolves will leave prey that can survive.
- Don't leave your children unsupervised when you go hiking, camping, and other activities in wolf territory. Children can be easy prey because they are weak and small. Children are also often unaware of danger cues.
- There is a saying that goes "the strength of the herd is in the wolves, and the strength of the wolves is in the herd." If the wolves are in herd formation, your group can be outnumbered making it difficult to get rid of. A pack of wolves usually consists of no more than 6 wolves, but in some places it can sometimes reach up to 30, for example in Yellowstone, USA.
- Don't throw food at the wolves. Feeding it will help the wolves get used to humans so they are more courageous and less afraid of us. Wolves that are fed food will tend to attack humans in the future because they no longer scare humans.
