First wolf attacked confirmed in Minn.

BEMIDJI, Minn. It’s being called the first confirmed attack of a person by a gray wolf in Minnesota history, according to the Department of Natural Resources. Now, a 16-year-old Solway boy is home recovering from a vicious bite wound to the head.

It happened early Saturday morning at the West Winnie Campground on Lake Winnibigoshish in north central Minnesota. The campground is operated by the U.S. Forest Service and was temporarily closed following the wolf attack, reports CBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis.

The gray wolf, also known as a timber wolf, was captured by trappers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The wolf was shot and killed to permit testing for rabies at the University of Minnesota veterinary diagnostic lab.

According to Col. Ken Soring, enforcement director for the DNR, Saturday’s attack was freakish and unprecedented.

“Our records do not reflect that we’ve had wolf attacks like this in Minnesota,” Col. Soring said.

The attack happened shortly after 4:00 a.m. as Noah Graham was down by the beach and preparing to fall asleep outside a tent in the campground. He was there with a group of friends from his church on a weekend outing.

That’s when the 75-pound male grey wolf clamped its jaws onto his skull and wouldn’t let go. Scott Graham, Noah’s father, say the attack was quiet and sudden.

“The wolf just came up behind Noah, he didn’t hear anything, and it just grabbed him by the back of the head and wouldn’t let go,” Graham said.

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Source: KHOU News