Authorities in the Netherlands issued an urgent warning to avoid forests in the center of the country following several "disturbing" incidents caused by a wolf. In a statement released late Wednesday, the province of Utrecht urged all visitors to exercise extreme caution when visiting the Utrecht Ridge area. The urgent advice is to avoid these forests with children.
According to the British newspaper "The Guardian," the latest incident occurred yesterday morning when a "large animal," believed to be a wolf, confronted a child near the village of Osterley, approximately 16 kilometers east of the city of Utrecht. The child was unharmed in this encounter, but a young girl was bitten ten days ago in the same area, and DNA tests confirmed that the same wolf was responsible.
The area is known as the "Utrecht Ridge," a dense forest that is popular among hikers, cyclists, and runners.