Yak attacks in Tyrol: Adventure ends with injuries for people and animals!

Yak attacks in Tyrol: Adventure ends with injuries for people and animals!

In the Tyrolean Oberland there was a dramatic incident on Friday evening, September 6, 2025 when a car collided with a yak. The animal, which had escaped from a nearby circus, was obviously released by unknown people, which led to a critical situation. Both the YAK and the 17-year-old insassin of the vehicle suffered significant injuries. In addition, a run -out camel was affected, which increased the unrest in the situation. This reports Krone.

A similarly worrying incident occurred on August 22, 2025 in the municipality of Galtür. Here, a 65-year-old German and her companion had a frightening encounter with an aggressive male yak bull while returning from a hike. The bull wounded the woman in the thigh with a horn and threw her to the ground. Luckily, the hikers were able to escape behind a tree and kept the animal away by screaming and shouting. An attentive group of hikers then initiated the rescue chain so that the seriously injured woman could be flown to BKH Zams in an emergency medical helicopter. The incident raised concerns about safety in the region, particularly when dealing with free-roaming animals, as 5min reported.

Increasing problems with lost animals

The incidents raise questions about the responsibility and protection of both humans and animals. With the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG), which came into force on January 1, 2005, strict regulations are to be determined for the attitude of animals in Austria. This law replaces the previously different regulations and implements EU guidelines for minimum standards for different animal species. The objectives include general keeping conditions that promote animal welfare and prohibit animals that are damaged by interventions. Responsibility for the implementation of the Animal Welfare Act is usually among the district administrative authorities of the individual federal states. Here it is specifically taken care that the requirements for animal husbandry are observed, which also includes the supervision of run-down animals, as in detail on the website of the Federal Ministry for Agriculture is executed.

These two incidents illustrate the pressing problem of animal husbandry and its effects on public security. It is of great importance to find a balance between the well -being of animals and the protection of people in order to avoid such incidents in the future.