An eight-year-old girl was seriously injured in what BBC News described as a wolf attack at the Johannismühle wildlife park in Brandenburg, south of Berlin.
Police said the attack occurred while the child was inside an enclosure with a staff member and two other children. In a statement, police said the “precise circumstances of the incident are the subject of an ongoing police investigation.”
What authorities and local media report
BBC News reported the girl was flown to hospital by helicopter on Wednesday and that no one else was injured.
German newspaper Bild reported the girl suffered head injuries and was hurt by at least one animal. Bild also reported the incident took place before the park’s 10:00 local opening time and said she could have been taking part in a special visit.
Park status and animals kept
The park in Baruth/Mark is temporarily closed and is set to reopen on 2 November, according to its website, as cited by BBC News. The site says Johannismühle keeps grey and Arctic wolves, as well as other species including brown bear and lynx.
Johannismühle advertises small-group experiences that allow visitors to spend time with certain animals, with the site mentioning activities such as feeding wolves or petting a llama, according to BBC News.
Recent context in Europe
BBC News noted recent, separate animal attacks at European facilities: a keeper at a Dutch zoo died this week after being mauled by a leopard, and a man was killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park earlier this month.
