On February 17, 2025, an injured wolf was found in a forest near Barlinek, Poland. He was caught in a snare, curled up in a ball and in great pain. After the trapped animal had struggled to get out, the wire had tightened around its lower abdomen and pelvis. The polish association “Stowarzyszenie dla Natury ‘Wilk’, in collaboration with the ‘West Pomeranian Natural Society’ and the police, evacuated the wolf, a 3-year-old male nicknamed "Frost" (Mròz in Polish), to the ‘Musikrabbit’ care and rehabilitation center in Bielsko-Biala (Poland).
A veterinarian carried out a thorough medical examination, which revealed severe external injuries but, fortunately, no trauma to the internal organs. The animal had to spend several days trapped, even though the region was experiencing the coldest nights of the winter season. In addition to the very significant and spectacular wounds requiring care, the wolf was also dehydrated. A veterinary team was able to provide him with appropriate treatment, including bandages and intravenous medication.
During rehabilitation, despite the pain from his injuries, Frost was constantly trying to get out of his box. This alerted the veterinary staff, who initially thought that the wolf was missing his pack and trying to regain his freedom to rejoin it. The team therefore reduced his treatment to the minimum necessary, in view of his behavior and stress, fitted him with a GPS collar and released him on March 1st in the Barlinek forest.
In the days that followed, the association observed Frost's movements and was surprised to discover that the wolf had low mobility, which was initially attributed to his injuries and his possible difficulty in traveling long distances. But on March 13, 2025, the association was finally able to understand Frost's behavior and the reason for his limited movements...
The organization received a report of a sick wolf in a field in the area where Frost was staying. The association immediately checked Frost's position and realized that his collar had been registered at the scene that very morning at 6 a.m. Without further ado, the equipment and a transport box were prepared and loaded, and the association traveled nearly 600 km to reach the site. On arrival, they discovered that the sick wolf was a young female wolf, seriously injured in the leg (carpus/metacarpus) and whose body was in a state of extreme tension, shaken by violent periodic convulsions. The accident she suffered must have taken place two to three weeks earlier.
The association took the wolf to the “Musikrabbit” care center, where in-depth examinations were carried out. Unfortunately, the veterinarian's diagnosis was final: the she-wolf had contracted tetanus, which causes stiffness of the body and jaw. Despite intravenous medication, the young female sadly died the following day. She was named “Thirteen” (Trzynastka), after the date she was found.
Once "Thirteen" had been removed, Frost's telemetry data showed that he kept returning to the exact spot where she had been all that time. The low mobility observed resulted from the fact that he did not want to abandon his dying partner, wishing to be there for her. It is also for this reason that, unlike many other wolves treated in care centers, he constantly sought to get out, to flee.
According to the association, this is not the first time that both telemetry and monitoring data have demonstrated the strong bond between members of a pack, especially within the breeding pair. In recent decades, scientific and behavioral studies have succeeded in proving the cognitive and emotional capacities of animal species. Frost's reaction to his partner “Thirteen” is therefore not at all surprising. A pair of wolves supports and helps each other, protects their territory and their offspring, and raises their cubs together, each one taking turns to take charge, depending on the situation, and being supported by their partner. We will also leave you with an article from National Geographic on the subject of emotional capacities in animals:
"What do animals feel?" (french)
Below, you can see photos and a video of Frost, from his rescue to his stay in the Musikrabbit care center. A photo of Thirteen is also available.
As many people still deny the presence of wolf poaching in Switzerland and elsewhere, we also share with you a slideshow of the latest cases of wolves found dead in neighboring countries (2025) and a revealing discovery in Switzerland.
Link to the "Stowarzyszenie dla Natury „Wilk” association's website
Article : Team WM - “Stowarzyszenie dla Natury ‘Wilk"
Photos : “Stowarzyszenie dla Natury ‘Wilk" / WM / italian and french sources
Video : “Stowarzyszenie dla Natury ‘Wilk"
