A child is in critical condition after being mauled by a wolf at a German wildlife park.
The eight-year-old girl was attacked by the animal at the popular Johannismühle wildlife park in Brandenburg on Wednesday morning, according to German newspaper Bild.
Emergency services were at the scene this morning, and a rescue helicopter was deployed from Berlin to airlift the child to a trauma centre in Marzahn.
It is unclear as to why the child was inside the enclosure, but the attack happened before the park had opened.
She is believed to have been part of a special programme where visitors can pretend to be zookeepers and feed animals, Bild reports.
A local police spokesman confirmed that cops received reports of an animal attack at 9.30am, but did not specify what kind of animal was involved.
‘We received information this morning at 9.30am that a child in the Baruth area was allegedly attacked and injured by one or more animals.
‘A rescue helicopter landed there. Investigators are on site,’ the spokesman said.
A child has been attacked by a wolf at Germany’s Johannismühle wildlife park
The park, which is home to wolves, birds and wildcats, was closed today (file image)
The child is understood to have suffered a severe head injury.
Distressed staff are understood to have received emotional support from emergency teams this morning.
The wildlife park is located 28 miles from Berlin and is home to grey and polar wolves, as well as birds, deer and wildcats. The park was closed today following the incident.
News of an animal attack at a wildlife park comes after a Dutch zookeeper died on Tuesday, days after being mauled by a leopard.
The woman, who has not been named but was in her 50s, was attacked while caring for two Persian leopards at Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek on Saturday morning.
It is unclear how the event developed as there are no cameras inside the enclosure.
Colleagues reportedly found the woman after hearing her crying out for help over her walkie-talkie.
She was airlifted to hospital with severe head and neck injuries and underwent emergency surgery.
An independent investigation will be launched to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
And earlier this month, a man died after he entered a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
William Chapman was mauled to death by tiger Altai after climbing two fences and entering the enclosure on October 10.
Following a post-mortem, his provisional cause of death was listed as ‘multiple traumatic injuries’ after his encounter with the tiger.
An inquest opening into his death heard that Mr Chapman had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered bouts of psychosis.
It comes after William Chapman (pictured) died earlier this month after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
‘His family have expressed a number of concerns in relation to his contact with mental health services leading up to his death,’ the coroner’s officer Caitlin Brookes said.
At the time of his death, the 24-year-old self-employed online trader was under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services but was ‘highly functioning and independent with no care requirements’, the inquest heard.
Ms Brookes said the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust had launched an investigation following Mr Chapman’s death.
The City of Doncaster Council, the licensing authority for the zoo, has launched a health and safety probe, while South Yorkshire Police also investigate the matter.
