When it comes to unpredictable animal behavior, the sudden hostility of packs of wolves in Russia is certainly making headlines in Russia after security footage reveals an incredible encounter police had with the animals after pulling a car over on a busy highway.
It all began when a Russian traffic cop pulled over a beige sedan for having one of its headlights burned out. As the vehicle slows down and pulls off to the side, the policeman begins asking the driver for his license and registration. But soon enough he seems preoccupied with a sound coming from their south as more than a dozen wolves start howling in chorus just beyond the veil of darkness at the edge of the highway. As the policeman asks the driver if his car is unlocked, the wolves start pouring into the street. What at first seems like it could be a small trickle of animals is quickly turned to an overwhelming flood as over a dozen wolves suddenly start charging right for him. The driver of the vehicle quickly unlocks his door and lets the police officer in and they are able to wait out the encounter inside his car before the creatures spill past on the road leaving them clearly shocked and more than a little terrified.
The origin of the wolves is unknown, but as the M23 highway runs past several large swaths of forested or uninhabited terrain and this could have been a jumping point for the wolves. But what was their destination? And why did they feel so comfortable rushing past police on a well lit busy highway?
After the fatal wolf attack by a teacher in Alaska last March, some are suggesting that wildlife around the world is becoming more aggressive while others, such as the World Wildlife Foundation say the attacks are largely due to aggressive destruction of natural habitats.
Still, there’s something eerie about the image of a pack of wolves rushing down a Moscow highway and passing police officers, completely ignoring the myriad headlights and the roar of engines whizzing past at sixty miles per hour. But wolves entering populated areas, while rarely in such a dramatic scene as this is not entirely unheard of. In fact, in some areas of Alaska, Canada, and the United States’ Northwest it is not even all that rare as of the past few years. Perhaps they are simply getting more used to seeing vehicles on the road. And with an entire pack following only a few or even one wolf at its head, it’s easy to understand how such a dramatic display of fearlessness could quickly become possible.
Another final interesting point of this video is the second video that came out with it which doesn’t sync up with the first and is less commonly seen. The real question is, is this another similar incident? Or is the second one entirely made up?