Wolf attacks are pretty rare in North America—there have only been about 100 recorded cases, fatal and non-fatal, since 1750. But that statistic is cold comfort if you’re out on a hike and get a feeling this fearsome creature might be trailing you.
So let’s take a look at some wolf attack hotspots over the years (countries, states, and specific locations), the months with the highest number of attacks, as well as their types (predatory, rabid, captive, or unprovoked).
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Wolf Attack Hotspots: Countries, States, and Specific Locations
There have been 105 wolf attacks reported in North America across four countries since records began. The United States has had the highest number of incidents (69), including the oldest noted attack on Plains Indians and other tribes stricken with smallpox in 1750. Canada follows the US in wolf attacks (34), while Mexico and Greenland have reported just one attack each.
We can break these numbers down further to look at the distribution of incidents across states and provinces. The following list summarizes those with three or more reported wolf attacks:
- Alaska: 15
- Ontario: 8
- Minnesota: 8
- Wisconsin: 5
- Saskatchewan: 5
- Iowa: 5
- British Columbia: 5
- Michigan: 4
- Arizona: 4
- Nunavut: 3
- California: 3
- Alberta: 3
Alaska is home to the highest number of reported wolf attacks, including the 2012 Lance Grangaard incident, which was not fatal. A lone wolf attacked Grangaard while the latter was on his snow machine. He fought back, knocked the wolf down, scared it off, and escaped by riding away. Grangaard received preventive rabies treatment as the wolf was never caught.
After the Last Frontier, we have the US states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa in terms of wolf attack prevalence. In 2019 alone, there were two non-fatal attacks involving dogs in Minnesota: the first, in May, saw two wolves attack Paul Moore’s Labrador Retriever as they searched for deer antlers. Moore swung his hatchet, hitting one wolf and freeing the dog. The second wolf continued biting the Labrador’s hindquarters. Moore fought back, using his body as a shield and kicking the wolf.
Two months later, in August, a wolf assaulted Ted Schlosser who was walking his four dogs near Shagawa Lake. Luckily, they all managed to retreat to the safety of his truck, though one of the dogs received veterinary care for a shoulder injury.
Meanwhile, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia top Canada’s providences for wolf attacks. In 1996, a non-fatal attack occurred in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. During a family vacation, the Delventhal family of Pittsburgh had a frightening encounter with a lone wolf. Zachariah, one of the family members, suffered severe facial injuries and required extensive surgery when he chose to spend the night sleeping outside his tent. Authorities captured and killed the wolf, ensuring no further attacks occurred.
Speaking of Algonquin Provincial Park, it’s one of just two locations to have seen more than one wolf attack. The second incident took place in 1987, which you can find on the map when you sort by “Year.” Ellesmere Island, in Nunavut, is the only other location with two attacks.
The Deadliest Months for Wolf Attacks
You now know the locations to avoid… but what time of year should you steer clear of these wolf attack hotspots?
Of the 85 wolf attacks that included a timeframe, the month of March has historically seen the most attacks (11). This includes six attacks during the 1800s, three during the 1900s, and two attacks in more recent years.
After March, the winter months seem to have a higher frequency of attacks, with January and December being the next most prominent months. This is contrary to when bear attacks most frequently occur as, unlike bears, wolves don’t hibernate. You’re more likely to come across wild wolves during winter as their bodies can withstand harsh temperatures.
That’s not to say wolves aren’t also active during the warmer months, seeing as June and August have seen high levels of attacks.
Check out the years these attacks took place on the map above when you sort by “Year.”
Wolf Attack Types and Results
So far, we’ve gone over common wolf attack locations and timing. Now let’s take a look at additional factors in these gruesome events: the type of attack and the results.
| Type of attack | Type of attack # |
|---|---|
| Predatory | 23 |
| Rabid | 10 |
| Captive | 7 |
| Unprovoked | 6 |
| Prey-testing agonistic charge | 6 |
| Possibly rabid | 2 |
| Rabies | 1 |
| Prey-testing Agonistic | 1 |
| Pack of wolves | 1 |
| Narrowly averted | 1 |
| Defending cows | 1 |
| Agonistic | 1 |
| Aggressive behavior | 1 |
While a significant number of cases (42) lack this information, we can classify 23 attacks as predatory. Of these, four resulted in at least one fatality, including the attack on Candice Berner in 2010. Berner, a teacher and jogger, was found dead near a road with wolf tracks nearby. The medical examiner concluded her death resulted from wolf mauling, making it Alaska’s first fatal wolf attack with confirmed DNA evidence.
Nineteen other predatory wolf attacks were non-fatal.
Meanwhile, rabid attacks accounted for 10 cases, and seven reported incidents involved captive wolves. You can sort the map by “Type of attack” to see the specifics of these and the other reasons.
Altogether, there have been 33 fatal wolf attacks in North America and 72 non-fatal attacks. Other than wolves, we’ve also mapped Every US Shark Attack Fatality Since 1900, put together Bear Attack Statistics of North America, and explored 107 Deadly Rattlesnake, Copperhead, & Cobra Bites in the US. Have a look!
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