Seine-Maritime. Several sheep attacks: is it the wolf?

At least seventeen sheep died butchered in Osmoy-Saint-Valery, a town near Londinières (Seine-Maritime), with accelerated attacks in recent weeks. This is the area where an animal that has been identified as a wolf has been photographed.

Marie-Josée Bourgeois, mayor of Osmoy-Saint-Valery, explains to 76actu.fr : “One resident’s herd suffered four attacks, three of which were fairly close-knit. “

Didier Demarest owned four sheep. He lost three in early April: “The sheep had many bite marks. It’s the first time this has happened to me in fifteen years. We think it was a wolf that did this. “ This week, a new attack was reported to the town hall.

Driving by the same animal

Since the wolf was reported, the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) as well as the services of the Departmental Directorate of Territories and the Sea intervened on three reports of sheep attacks in Seine-Maritime: Fesques, located near Neufchâtel-en-Bray and Osmoy-Saint-Valery are located at about 11 km from each other as the crow flies. Other reports have been brought to the attention of state services and are under investigation, said the prefecture, this Friday, April 24, 2020: “According to the first elements of analysis, it would seem that these attacks were carried out by the same animal because of the similarities in the signature of the attacks (bite in the throat and predation of a shoulder). The geographic dispersal of reports makes it unlikely that the attacks were carried out by a stray dog. During field visits, the agents seek to collect evidence of presence (fingerprints, excrement, hair, etc.). “

Hair samples may have been collected near the scene of the attacks and will be sent for analysis.

An imprint was also taken.

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