Published19. February 2024, 8:25 pm
Italy: Was it a wolf? 73-year-old man dies in hospital from bite wounds
A 73-year-old South Tyrolean man had been missing since Sunday and was found on Monday with life-threatening bite wounds. He died shortly afterwards.
A hiker found a seriously injured missing man in Italy.
The 73-year-old man had bite wounds on several parts of his body.
Despite successful resuscitation, the man later died in hospital.
This case shocked South Tyrol: a 73-year-old man from the municipality of Feldthurns was last seen alive late on Sunday afternoon at the local castle bus stop. After that, there was no trace of him and a major search operation involving several fire departments ensued.
Bite wounds on the neck and stomach
On Monday morning, a hiker made a bloody discovery: the woman found the missing man at around 7:20 am in a meadow near the village of Pinzagen, which is less than three miles from Feldthurns. He was severely hypothermic and had life-threatening bite wounds on his neck, stomach and arms.
“I was walking my dog when I saw the man lying motionless on the side of the path,” the woman describes the terrible moment to the regional portal Stol.it. The man had his eyes closed, but was still breathing. “I spoke to him until the emergency services arrived so he remained conscious.”
DNA testing aims to provide certainty
According to the fire department, the injured man had to be resuscitated at the scene and was later taken to Bolzano hospital in a rescue helicopter. According to Stol.it, the 73-year-old man died there in the afternoon.
Now there is fear of a wolf that doesn't shy away from attacking people: they say there have been several sightings around the city. The fatal bites could also have come from a jackal or a large dog. A DNA test and examination of the remains should soon provide certainty.
As in Switzerland, wolves are also a hotly debated topic in South Tyrol. The province's population has grown significantly in recent years. Farmers are very concerned about increasing livestock losses, while animal rights activists want to prevent the slaughter of wild animals.
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(today in/bho)