2026-04-01 12:03:57

Shoppers were left stunned after a woman was bitten by a wolf in the middle of a busy German high street.

The shocking attack unfolded on Grosse Bergstrasse in Hamburg’s Altona district – a bustling shopping area near an Ikea store – on Monday (30.03.26) evening.

According to reports, the woman tried to guide the disoriented animal away from the crowds before it suddenly turned on her.

The wolf bit her in the face before fleeing the scene.

She was taken to hospital but has since been discharged.

Officials say the incident is extremely rare – and may be the first of its kind in modern Germany.

A spokeswoman for Federal Agency for Nature Conservation said: “There has not been a case like this since the reintroduction began in 1998.”

Wolves only began returning to Germany after disappearing for around 150 years, following the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Later that night, the wolf was spotted in Hamburg’s Binnenalster lake, where police launched a tense operation to capture it.

Officers reportedly used a rope to pull the animal from the water, with shield-equipped teams taking around an hour to bring the situation under control.

Matthias Hilge, from Hamburg’s environment ministry, said the wolf had been seen a number of times in recent days and is now receiving veterinary care.

He added: “Bukea will decide on the animal’s future arrangements in the near future, following close consultation with experts.”

Wolves have steadily spread across Germany after returning via Poland in the 1990s, now roaming forests in several regions.

But their comeback has sparked debate.

New laws approved by the Bundesrat will allow controlled hunting between July and October to protect livestock.

Environment Minister Carsten Schneider insisted coexistence is key, saying: “It is not a question of driving the wolf away again, but of finding viable ways to live peacefully alongside it.”

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