Attempted Predation of a Child by a Gray Wolf, Canis lupus, near Icy Bay, Alaska

On 26 April 2000 a six-year-old boy was attacked and repeatedly bitten by a Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) in a logging camp near Icy Bay, Alaska. The animal's behavior during the attack clearly contained elements of predation. The wolf was killed short­ ly after the attack and found to be in normal physical condition: tests for rabies and canine distemper were negative. Low densities of ungulate prey and increased energetic demands associated with denning may have influenced the wolf's behav­ ior, but we believe the wolf's habituation to people was a more significant factor contributing to the attack. Food-condition­ ing may have facilitated the habituation process, but there was no evidence the attack resulted from a food-conditioned approach response.