A possible wolf sighting is causing concern in the Freistadt district. A jogger claimed to have been approached by a wolf on January 3 in Windhaag, as confirmed by the office of the provincial agriculture minister Michaela Langer-Weninger (ÖVP) on Thursday, in response to a report in the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten. Although the animal’s behavior did not match that of a typical wolf, authorities are taking the incident “very seriously.”

The man is “completely certain” that it was not a dog that jumped at him. He had been running at around 5:00 PM in the dark, wearing a headlamp, when he suddenly noticed an animal approaching him.

“The behavior of the animal should not be taken lightly. We urge the public, particularly hunters, to remain vigilant and immediately report any further significant sightings to the authorities,” said Langer-Weninger. Based on the described appearance and behavior, a wolf cannot be ruled out. “This encounter” will be classified as a harassment event according to Upper Austria’s wolf management regulation. At least two wolf packs are known to inhabit the area.