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FromMartina Lippl
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Hikers have been attacked and injured by cows on the Alpe di Siusi. After the cow attack, South Tyrol issued rules of conduct for tourists.
Bolzano – Vacationers were attacked by a herd of cows while hiking on the Alpe di Siusi in South Tyrol (Italy). According to eyewitnesses, the matriarch picked up a woman and threw her several meters through the air, local media reported. A man was pushed to the ground. The angry cows also attacked the emergency doctor and the rescuers. Only the rescue helicopter could chase away the cows. The reason for the aggressive behavior of the cows is initially still unclear, causing numerous speculations. South Tyrol reacts to the unusual cow attack with rules of conduct for hikers.
After a strange cow attack in South Tyrol – This is how holidaymakers should behave when they meet a cow
After bears and wolves, holidaymakers in South Tyrol should also be careful of cows. The incident on the Alpe di Siusi shook the country beyond its borders. Apparently it was not an isolated case. Another couple described a frightening scene in an alpine meadow.
“Cows are peace-loving and calm animals,” emphasizes the South Tyrolean Farmers’ Association on the news portal South Tyrol News. But in exceptional situations, cows could also get nervous, especially when dogs are running around freely on the alpine pastures or hikers want to pet calves.
“It’s best to keep your distance from the herd so that the cows don’t feel threatened,” advises Leo Tiefenthaler, chairman of the farmers’ association South Tyrol News. The most important rules “How do I behave with cows?” are now summarized on the tourism website south tyrolerland.it to find. There are rules of conduct for walkers and hikers to avoid dangerous situations with cows:
- Do not climb over fences or walk through herds of cows, but follow the marked path
- Keep an appropriate distance from grazing animals: an alpine pasture is not a petting zoo or selfie hotspot
- Do not stare at cows with your eyes
- Walk past the animals in a relaxed manner
- Stress makes peaceful cows aggressive
Alm cows are not a petting zoo – keep your hands off the calves, experts warn
Little calves are cute to look at. They are often curious in the pasture and will approach hikers, Tiefenthaler explains South Tyrol News. “Here, too, it is best to avoid the calves and never pet them or scratch their heads. The cows could misunderstand that and defend the calves.” Suckler cows want to protect their calves from danger.
Cow attacks in South Tyrol – Special caution is required with dogs and cows
Cow attacks on hikers are rare, the website says. But if young animals are nearby, the hiking trail leads through a cow pasture and there are dogs, it could quickly become dangerous. Dogs around cows are a particular issue. Suckler cows see dogs as a threat.
Therefore, they should always be kept on a leash and never run around freely. There is one exception: in a dangerous situation, when a cow attacks, the dog should be let off the leash immediately. Then the cattle can concentrate on the dog and not on the people, recommends the South Tyrolean Farmers’ Union regional chairman. Dog owners should know these rules when encountering cows:
- Leash dogs (as required by law) and keep them on a short leash: Dogs are seen as a danger
- If there are signs of an attack by a cow: unleash the dog immediately!
- The hiker can get to safety better this way
How do I behave in the event of a cow attack?
If, despite appropriate behavior, caution and respect for grazing animals, a cow attack occurs, it is important to remain calm, leave the pasture slowly and not turn your back on the animals:
- Stay calm, stretch out, and back away slowly
- Don’t turn your back on the animal
- Don’t lie on the floor or run away frantically
Speculations after the cow attack in South Tyrol – herd traumatized by the wolf?
The reason for the aggressive behavior of the cows on the Alpe di Siusi is initially unclear. “It was like a bad movie. I will never forget the cow’s look,” said the emergency doctor after the operation. A dog ran through the herd shortly before the incident, which could explain the aggressive behavior of the cows, reports the ORF. The herd was apparently already traumatized by a wolf, it is said. Farmers in Switzerland would therefore have had major problems with aggressive herds of cows that had been attacked by a wolf.
There is already trouble about wolves in the Alpine region. In Austria, a police helicopter rescued women from the mountain at night. Fear of predators is growing in South Tyrol. Mountain rescuers no longer go out at night – the search for a pensioner was canceled in June. A dead bear was discovered in Trentino at the end of June. It was the problem bear, coded M62. (ml)
List of rubrics: © IMAGO/Frank Bienewald
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