DNA test confirms ID of wolf that bit Minn. teen

A wolf trapped and killed last month is the same wolf that attacked a teenager in August, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said Thursday.

The male grey wolf bit the back of the skull of a 16-year-old boy as he camped in northern Minnesota on Aug. 24. The teen suffered multiple puncture wounds but they were not life threatening.

The wolf had deformities that might have limited its ability to hunt, which may have contributed to its unusual behavior, said Michelle Carstensen, a wildlife health program supervisor with the DNR, which trapped and killed the wolf. The wolf also had brain damage, she added.

DNR officials say it's surprising the wolf lived as long as it did. Only a couple wolf attacks on humans have ever been documented in North America.

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