Wolf attacks beachgoers

2006-09-08 11:33

Montreal - A black wolf sowed terror at a popular Canadian beach, attacking six people - including four children - before it was shot dead, an official with the Canadian province of Ontario said on Thursday.

The victims at first believed the animal was a large black dog when it appeared in broad daylight on Monday and then attacked beachgoers along the shores of Lake Superior, Melanie Dufresne, spokesperson for the ministry of natural resources, told AFP.

The victims were bitten in the arm, hands, ankles and head and were hospitalised but have since been released, she said.

It took several terrifying minutes before the animal was finally chased from the beach.

The incident occurred in a provincial park, only a few hundred metres from a main cross-country highway, where the animal was shot several hours later.

The wolf, which weighed 33kg, did not have rabies and appeared to be healthy, said Brent Patterson, a wolf specialist at the ministry.

The animal was most likely two to three years old and "was not starving," Patterson said.

Wolf attacks on humans are considered extremely rare, he said. "There's never been any proven fatality in the wild in North America."

- AFP