Campers in Israel warned after series of wolf attacks

Ten incidents involving wolf bites have been reported over summer in Judean desert

Peter Beaumontin Jerusalem

Wednesday 20 September 2017 12.29 BSTLast modified on Wednesday 20 September 2017 15.08 BST

Israeli authorities are warning families with young children to take extra care after a series of wolf attacks on campers in the Judean desert.

Ten incidents involving wolf bites were reported over the summer around the historic site of Masada and the popular spring at Ein Gedi. A number of the incidents involved young children, leading to fears that an Arabian wolf or wolves may be exhibiting predatory behaviour.

The incidents at campsites and attractions began in May, when a wolf entered the tent of a family holidaying near Masada. It later returned to bite one of the family’s young children a few steps from her tent.

The attacks continued over the summer with the two most recent incidents occurring last weekend, when three children were bitten in two separate attacks near Ein Gedi.

Local rangers have been accused of not doing enough to find and trap the animal, or animals, involved – a charge denied by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority.

Shilhav Ben-David, whose daughter was bitten in the first reported incident, said the wolf had entered the family’s tent before being chased off, only to return and attack her child a few hours later. She told Haaretz she only became aware the wolf had returned when she saw it on top of her child.

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