An eight-year-old girl was seriously injured and airlifted to hospital after an animal attack at a wildlife park in Germany on the morning of Wednesday 28 October 2026. Emergency services were called to Wildpark Johannismühle in Baruth, around 28 miles south of Berlin, at about 9:30am local time.

Investigation under way

Police said the child was inside an animal enclosure with two other children and a park employee when she was attacked by at least one wild animal. German media reported the animal was a wolf, and later reporting said police confirmed it was a wolf. Paramedics treated the girl at the scene for severe head injuries before a rescue helicopter flew her to a specialist trauma clinic in Marzahn, Berlin. This article describes her condition only as seriously injured, as reports differ on whether it is critical or serious but not life-threatening, and the girl has not been publicly identified.

The other two children and the employee were not physically injured, though reports say they were treated for shock. The park, which is home to grey and Arctic wolves as well as bears, bison, lynx and deer, closed for the day and later said it would remain shut until 2 November while authorities investigate.

Police and the local district administration have opened an investigation into how the children came to be inside the enclosure, including whether safety rules were broken and why the incident happened before the park's normal 10am opening time. The park said it deeply regretted the incident and was cooperating fully with authorities, and support was offered to staff and emergency workers shaken by the attack.

Sources: New York Post, LADbible.