Incredible! Wolf Hit by Bus in Belgium and Survives Unharmed

A German bus accidentally hit one of the few returning wolves in the Flanders area of Hoge Kempen National Park on Friday morning. The wolf survived the accident and was later spotted uninjured.

Landschap, a non-profit organization that is behind the returning wolves to nature in the national park area, reported the incident.

Belbus is a minibus service which plies in remote areas where there is no regular bus service. Pickups of costumers can be arranged through calling the Belbus numbers.

According to the spokesperson for Landschap, Billy was crossing the ring to the vast central reservation and decided that the other side of (Turnhout center) is not a desirable place for a wolf. As he returned, he was hit by a van that fortunately had already slowed down when the driver saw the wolf."

The wolf was thrown some distance but appeared to have survived the accident and walked away.

Wolf enthusiasts are concerned that the animal might have sustained significant injuries. A search was staged to look for the wolf, but sniffer dogs could not find it.

Institute for Nature and Forest Research attended the accident scene and took samples of DNA and hair from the minibus bumper.

Two reports of the healthy wolf in the region off Turnhout came in on Friday evening. The two reports were consistent in terms of location and time frame, and observation that it is a smooth-running wolf. The animal seemed to get off with fright, with some reservation after the accident will remain, Landschap said.

Jan Loos of Welkom Wolf, the organization that monitors the re-entry of wolves in Belgium, does not want to jump into conclusions: "It seems he hasn't sustained any injuries, though we need to be cautious before drawing any conclusions" he said.

Two weeks ago, Billy arrived in Belgium from Den Bosch area in the Netherlands and traveled to Duffel, north of Mechelen.

A report of Billy striking in the Turnhout area, killing a couple of sheep, although further DNA research is needed to provide certainty that the wolf was actually Billy. Welkom Wolf says this attack indicates that Billy is in good health.

A Comeback of Wolves in Belgium

Naya, a female wolf, is the first wolf that made its way to Belgium from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany in 2018. A year after the first wolf sighting Belgium, Naya was killed. Her death caused a massive outcry in Belgium.

Despite the incident, the re-establishment of wolves in Belgium continued.  There are around 10 wolves in Belgium to this date,  Jan Loos said.

A couple was introduced in the Ardennes, the southeast of Belgium, and in Limburg, the north-east area. The couple in Limburg is expecting cubs as of two months ago.

The government of Limburg issued the strictest mandate to protect wolves in the region. Five years in jail and a fine of €500 await the poachers, and hunting in the wolf territory is prohibited.

The presence of wolves in Belgium is crucial for the future of wolves in Europe: it could reconnect the French-Italian and German-Polish wolf population after 200 years of total separation.