Understand the real level of risk from wolves and practice what to do when you meet a lone wolf and a pack.
The animal that's afraid of you
The wolf and the pack
A healthy wild wolf almost never attacks people: centuries of hunting have made humans taboo for it. The real risks are different: a rabid wolf, a wolf fed by people, a pack near villages in a hungry winter, and wolves defending a den with pups in spring.
If you meet one: don't run (a wolf sprints at close to 60 km/h) and don't turn your back. Stand up straight, be big: raise your arms, open your jacket wide. Talk and shout in a low, confident voice. Back away slowly, facing the animal, never looking away from it completely — you need to keep the wolf in sight. Don't crouch or bend down: to canids, a low silhouette means weakness.
If the wolf comes closer, get louder and sharper, throw rocks and sticks toward it, and wave whatever you have. With a pack, press your back against a tree or a rock so they can't get behind you; a group of people stands back to back, children in the middle. Put your dog on a short leash and behind you: often the dog is exactly what the wolves want.
If a wolf attacks, fight back: protect your throat and face, hit it on the nose and in the eyes. Puppy-like whimpering from a gully in spring means a den: turn around and leave the way you came.
Lesson notes
The wolf and the pack
A healthy wild wolf almost never attacks people: centuries of hunting have made humans taboo for it. The real risks are different: a rabid wolf, a wolf fed by people, a pack near villages in a hungry winter, and wolves defending a den with pups in spring.
If you meet one: don't run (a wolf sprints at close to 60 km/h) and don't turn your back. Stand up straight, be big: raise your arms, open your jacket wide. Talk and shout in a low, confident voice. Back away slowly, facing the animal, never looking away from it completely — you need to keep the wolf in sight. Don't crouch or bend down: to canids, a low silhouette means weakness.
If the wolf comes closer, get louder and sharper, throw rocks and sticks toward it, and wave whatever you have. With a pack, press your back against a tree or a rock so they can't get behind you; a group of people stands back to back, children in the middle. Put your dog on a short leash and behind you: often the dog is exactly what the wolves want.
If a wolf attacks, fight back: protect your throat and face, hit it on the nose and in the eyes. Puppy-like whimpering from a gully in spring means a den: turn around and leave the way you came.