A woman in France has been hospitalized after she sustained serious injuries during an attack by three wolves while jogging in a safari park outside Paris on Sunday.
The unnamed 37-year-old woman was mauled by three arctic wolves and was bitten “on the neck, the calf and the back” while travelling through the Thoiry Safari park, AFP reported.
During her jog, the woman allegedly entered the main safari zone, which is reserved only for cars.
It is not clear why the woman strayed from the pedestrian-safe path and into the vehicular zone, where animals roam free.
The woman was rescued after park employees heard her screaming during the wolf attack. She was brought to hospital for treatment.
Christelle Bercheny, CEO of the Wow Safari Thoiry group, told AFP the injured woman “crossed the American reserve on foot.”
During a news briefing on Sunday, Bercheny said there are electrical fences on the reserve to prevent animals from leaving. Despite the woman somehow getting past the fence, Bercheny maintained there are constant reminders to park guests about the dangers of interacting with wild animals.
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Thoiry park officials have not provided further context, including whether the jogger mistakenly entered the area, or if there was a lack of proper signage.
A police investigation is underway.
Initial findings revealed the woman and her family were staying in one of the park’s in-house lodgings, CBS News reported.
Maryvonne Caillibotte, the chief prosecutor in Versailles, said first responders reached the woman “very quickly” after the attack began. The wolves, she said, were “moved away, then returned to their area” after the woman was saved.
On Sunday, Caillibotte said the jogger’s life was in danger. No update has been provided.
Thoiry park is about 40 kilometres west of Paris. More than 750 animals — including lions, elephants and rhinos — are present in the park, where they can be viewed from guests’ vehicles as they drive through the safari.
Arctic wolves are native to northern Canada. They are carnivorous animals that can weigh up to 175 pounds and grow to about 2.8 metres in length.
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