Vienna,May 18, (dpa/GNA) – A 67-year-old hiker has died, after being attacked by a herd ofcows in Austria, authorities said, in the latest fatal incident involving
livestock in the Alps.
The woman was attacked by what police described as a “mid-double-digit number” of cows in a pasture in the alpine district of Lienz in East Tyrol on Sunday afternoon. Her 65-year-old husband was also seriously injured.
Authorities said the reasons for the animals’ aggressive behaviour remain unclear. The couple were not accompanied by a dog at the time, police added. Cows sometimes react to the approach of dogs, particularly when they want to protect their calves, by attacking the animal. In light of such incidents, authorities and farmers repeatedly advise caution when hiking in Alpine regions.
In September 2025, an 85-year-old man died following a cow attack, while out walking with his wife and a dog.
He was attacked by a herd of cows in the Ramsau am Dachstein area of the Austrian Alps.
GNA