In east China's Shandong Province, there has been a stunning and sudden increase in the number of cases of people being killed or hurt by wild animals.

A 5-year-old boy was hospitalized after being bitten by an animal that has been described as wolf-like.

Of the seven attacks in Zaozhuang city, 2 people have died with another 5 injured. In nearby Linyi City, a one-year old boy was hospitalized after being bitten by an animal that has been described as wolf-like. Shi Wenjing takes a look.

Police claim they have caught a wolf, but one netizen thinks otherwise. Wang holds that the animal police captured in Zaozhuang city is his lost, 5 year old female husky.

But amid the confusion and a case of mistaken identity, people continue to be attacked by an unidentified wild animal.

A one-year old boy in Mengyin county in Linyi city is the latest case.

Grandma of the wounded boy said, "My grandson was bitten when he was playing outside. It was a black-colored animal, with a long tail. I threw stones at the animal to chase it away."

The boy is currently recovering in hospital. Area residents have said that five dogs have either been killed or injured by the animal, who has wreaked havoc in the area.

Li Shunhai, doctor of Mengyin People's Hospital, said, "The boy probably was bitten by a large animal judging from the wound. It bit across his face and so we think its a canine."

Local authorities are still debating whether the animal is a wolf, or a feral dog. But they are warning villagers to be on alert, especially the elderly and small children.

A wolf killed by local police on Monday in Zaozhuang City proved to be not from the area.