Wolf attacks 4-year-old girl in Arrone park, mayor confirms sighting in town centre

Attack at the sports park

On Thursday evening around 9:30 p.m., a four-year-old girl was playing near the beach volleyball court at the sports facilities in Arrone, a small town in the Valnerina valley of Umbria, when a wolf emerged from the bushes or parking area. Witnesses said the animal approached the child from behind, bit into her shirt, and dragged her for about two metres. The girl had been eating an ice cream. Her mother and other adults present screamed and rushed at the animal, causing it to flee. The child was taken to hospital with scratches and shock, but no serious injuries. Carabinieri, including forestry personnel, and health service staff arrived at the scene.

Mayor’s sighting and immediate response

Mayor Fabio Di Gioia arrived at the sports complex shortly after the attack and later stated without doubt that the animal was a wolf. He told reporters he personally saw the wolf in via del Castello as it moved towards the historic centre.

It was a wolf and, as it moved away towards the town centre, I saw it in via del Castello.

In a social media post, the mayor reassured residents that the child was not seriously harmed. He announced that a coordination meeting with the prefecture, the Carabinieri Forestali, the local health authority (USL Umbria 2), and the Umbria Region had been set up to organise the animal’s capture. He said the situation was being monitored and necessary actions were underway to remove the animal from the area.

The girl attacked by a wolf is fortunately fine, just very frightened. The ASL and Carabinieri Forestali were immediately alerted and are monitoring the situation, carrying out the activities needed to drive the animal away from the zone.

Expert caution: rare but possible

Zoologist Marco Antonelli, a wolf behaviour expert with the Associazione Lupi Periurbani, urged caution until the animal’s identity is confirmed. He called wolf attacks on humans “extremely rare” but said that if the animal is indeed a wolf, it must be removed without delay.

Such behaviours are extremely rare, but they can happen. That's why we need to analyse the context and understand why such an incident occurred.

Antonelli compared the Arrone episode to a similar case in 2024 in the Fidene area of Rome, where a wolf grabbed and dragged a child in a park before adults intervened. He stressed that normal wolves avoid human contact, so a thorough analysis is needed to determine what triggered the attack.

If it is a wolf, we must act immediately.

Capture plan and prior sightings

The mayor confirmed that a task force is being organised to track and capture the animal. Residents had reported wolf sightings in the same area days earlier; one sighting was even filmed. The Carabinieri Forestali are leading the operation with support from the regional authorities. A meeting at the prefecture is expected shortly to finalise the capture plan and address public safety concerns.