The Beast Of Gevaudan - History's most terrifying and well-documented cryptid

I heard it was a hyena some mad man trained. The people of that time didnt know what a hyena was and would totally be a werewolf to them.

Originally posted by fedeykin
My guess it was some kind of psychotic person, a mass murderer.

If you think about it, back then there were no forensics and a relatively smart, but crazy person could have gotten away with all kinds of crazy things.

Making it look like some kind of beast did it just took all the suspicion off the local populace.

If people are freaking, especially back then, it would have probably sufficed to walk around with a bear or wolf pelt on your head to make them think it was a beast.

edit on 19-1-2012 by fedeykin because: (no reason given)

You're not giving these people enough credit. There are many accounts from multiple sources and survivors. They're describing this thing as non human, wolf like and the size of a horse. It'd have to be a very large man, with A LOT of strength. Why is it contemporary historians continue to describe any phenomenau of the ancient world, and in this case very much recent instance, as a grand illusion. These people existed as you and i do, saw the sun rise and the moon, breathed the same air but for some reason they are not intelligent enough to accurately interpret what they see.? Nothing different but the language and the words.

Originally posted by nineix

Utterly fascinating!

Thank you OP! S&F!

thanx for your comments.

cheers!

Originally posted by MrsBlonde
in the time this took place there was a public tendency to classify pedophiles and serial killers and rapists as werewolves or beasts,having said that I have been sitting on this 8000 year old small sculpture of a warrior ,with I have no idea what, on a leash!!

maybe evidence that some sort of beast was once domesticated for terror purposes ? some think that the beast was a real beast that was trained to kill? the creature depicted in the figurine cretainly somewhat resembles the prehistoric animal in the OP!

figurine is from Romania

Interesting thanks. Romanian huh? Where did you find it?

Cheers.

Originally posted by LucidDreamer85
reply to post by jimbo999

 

That looks like a bear wolf.

Which is both awesome and terrifying at the same time.

Yes - a scary thought huh? I assume you mean the first pic n the OP?

This creature actually existed at one point in time. Not something you'd want to run into on a dark night...

Originally posted by cosmicjellyfish
ive heard of this. they thought it was some kind of werewolf. turned out some guy had a hyena imported from africa. i believe it was even trained

Hmm... news to me. Do you have a link to your source for this story? I'd certainly like to see it if you can find it, as the French authorities on the subject matter don't seem to know about this info as far as I know.

Thanks.

Originally posted by JiggyPotamus
Well there is obviously "something" that terrorized these people, and like bigfoot, the anecdotal accounts and physical evidence are hard to deny. But, due to the fact that this was an isolated incident, or isolated to one region and stretch of time, the chances of this being a "new" creature are extremely low.

I say this because there obviously was not a population of the animals, but a single animal. This leads me to speculate that it could have been some freak genetic mutation, and the animal was probably birthed by a wolf or other wild animal.

I have never encountered this case before, although I have a nagging suspicion that there was a piece on television regarding this beast that I skimmed through some time ago, so I am too familiar with what exactly happened. Therefore, if my hypothesis can be ruled out via evidence that I remain ignorant of, I apologize.

Thanks for your comments Jiggy. It's nice to see some constructive observations. Apparently there were sightings of more than one creature at the same time on a few occasions - even a possible juvenile or two. So who knows...?? There seems to be a period of around 200 years of this beast terrorizing various rural regions of France - and them it seems to disappear from the pages of history.

There is however an interesting message on page one of this thread from a person who seems to suspect that an incident in the 1970's that occurred in a mountainous region of France not far from the original Gevaudan area may be connected to our story perhaps. Worth a gander anyhow.

Originally posted by korathin
reply to post by jimbo999

 

Maybe it is a cross between a female wolf and a feral male St. Bernard? It is easy to imagine a lone female wolf sticking close to a St Bernard. And wolves did roam Europe in those day's..

Yes, there certainly were wolves in France in that period. But this was not a wolf from all accounts. Maybe it was some kind of wolf-hybrid - but they usually are smaller than wolves - not larger. St. Bernards are quite small compared a full grown wolf. Timber wolves in my area have paws almost as big as a man's head!! Really!

Originally posted by volafox
After reading your story, I remember reading about that years ago... when I was 13 or 14. I seem to remember an offhand comment made along the lines of a direwolf possibility, since they were of the age of megafauna, and relatively not so long ago on the evolutionary timeline. There could be a very remote chance that within a litter of normal wolf cubs an abnormal one was born, and because of his superior size and strength, was able to survive. Being such a genetic oddity, it may have been born sterile, thus the dead end that seems to have happened. The indigenous breed of wolf in the areas of lower Europe including France may have very well had a bit of direwolf genetics in the DNA, and every so often, one pops up. Scary as hell, but possible. Look at what selective breeding has done to the canine breed anyway. Who would guess a pug or maltese had wolf ancestors?

Fascinating theory Volafox!! A Direwolf huh? I will do a little research on that - thanks. Do you happen to have a timeline for the period of time when the Mesonychid existed? The observation of hooves seems to predominate many of the descriptions of the beast, which is very curious don't you think?

Originally posted by TopherWayne
I heard it was a hyena some mad man trained. The people of that time didnt know what a hyena was and would totally be a werewolf to them.

Hmmm...well, all the French researchers on this subject ruled out a hyena long ago apparently. Also, I doubt a hyena could ever become as big as a young cow or horse could it? I've never seen a hyena up close - but I don't think it's large enough to be our suspect somehow...

reply to post by jimbo999


And there's a buncha reports of alien abductions, humans being witches, religious miracles, all claimed by humans. None which are validated of to having any reality behind them.

If anything it was probably a really big bear or giant boar.

From what I've read about the Beast, it definitely appears to be a canid. If a large domestic dog bred with a large wolf the offspring would have been very large (look at how hybrids like the Liger can grow to be twice the size of either parent species) and most likely had black fur. In fact black furred wolves have domestic dog in their ancestry and the color mutation for black fur has only emerged in domestic dogs, not wild wolves.

The beast of gevaudan attacked 210 humans,113 victims died and 98 were devoured.The attacks were so frequent and brutal that many believed the creature to be a demonic being sent by god as punishment,while others thought it was a loup-garou,a werewolf...

I saw a documentary last year that more or less proved that this beast was actually an escaped hyena,or even two of them,a male and female,that were brought back on a sailing ship by someone from africa and then it or they escaped and were roaming the countryside killing and eating for survival...

Hyenas are very strong and savage and are not small,like some people might think they are and at least 99% of people back then,1764-1767,would have not known what a hyena was or what one looked like either and they would have described it as some kind of monster...

Hyenas are formidable hunters and in packs can take down animals as large as zebras.They are also talented scavengers and have no fear when protecting a kill from other animals,even lions.Their jaws have bone-crunching strength and their digestive systems are adapted to digest bone and skin,animal parts that other predators cannot handle.The largest species of hyena is the spotted hyena,which grows up to 6.5 ft long including tail,stand 3 ft tall and weighs between 110-200 pounds...

Hyenas are actually very powerful predators and they often prey on humans in Africa and some parts of Asia.A man eating hyena terrorized Malawi quite recently,forcing hundreds of people to leave their villages.Just like the beast of Gevauden,hyenas are noted for their formidable teeth and strong odor and they are also bigger and more powerful than average wolves...Top 10 worst maneaters in history > listverse.com...

reply to post by jimbo999


After reading through all the proposals on this thread I think the mesonychid one fits the historical descriptions best and makes more sense than the idea it was a human serial killer misidentified by superstitious ignorant peasants in all of the cases. The odd feet are the sticking point that shoots the serial killer angle out for me personally, for some of the accounts. I think its propensity to go after women and children is just indicative of even modern predators' instinct to go for the weakest, easiest kill. Modern animals sometimes eat out softer organ meat which might also explain some of the victims looking relatively intact but missing blood and entrails. I can't say all the cases would have the same culprit, though. There are some accounts about how the clothes were removed that make me think some were copycat attacks by a deranged pervert after all.

Fascinating. It's nice to return to this section of the forum and find such interesting creatures to contemplate.

reply to post by MrsBlonde


Oh goodness I probably shouldn't post this because I adore my sister in law and her dog, but there was one day those two came back from a walk looking the very embodiment of this figurine! My sister-in-law was really mad at the dog who had forgotten her obedience training and pulled my sis through a nasty weedy part of the park. So, she scolded the dog on the walk back and by the time they got back to the house, covered in burrs and mud, they were both clearly cheesed off. This sculpture reminds me so much of the way those two looked that day!

Originally posted by blocula
The beast of gevaudan attacked 210 humans,113 victims died and 98 were devoured.The attacks were so frequent and brutal that many believed the creature to be a demonic being sent by god as punishment,while others thought it was a loup-garou,a werewolf...

I saw a documentary last year that more or less proved that this beast was actually an escaped hyena,or even two of them,a male and female,that were brought back on a sailing ship by someone from africa and then it or they escaped and were roaming the countryside killing and eating for survival...

Hyenas are very strong and savage and are not small,like some people might think they are and at least 99% of people back then,1764-1767,would have not known what a hyena was or what one looked like either and they would have described it as some kind of monster...

Hyenas are formidable hunters and in packs can take down animals as large as zebras.They are also talented scavengers and have no fear when protecting a kill from other animals,even lions.Their jaws have bone-crunching strength and their digestive systems are adapted to digest bone and skin,animal parts that other predators cannot handle.The largest species of hyena is the spotted hyena,which grows up to 6.5 ft long including tail,stand 3 ft tall and weighs between 110-200 pounds...

Hyenas are actually very powerful predators and they often prey on humans in Africa and some parts of Asia.A man eating hyena terrorized Malawi quite recently,forcing hundreds of people to leave their villages.Just like the beast of Gevauden,hyenas are noted for their formidable teeth and strong odor and they are also bigger and more powerful than average wolves...Top 10 worst maneaters in history > listverse.com...

edit on 23-1-2012 by blocula because: (no reason given)

Interesting link - thanks! I still have some doubts about the Hyena theory; as even a Hyena cannot reach the size of a cow or horse, as the Beast was reported to be. But you never know... It should be pointed out that the conclusion to the piece on The Beast is incorrect, as according to the French sources, the Beast kept on killing after our hero at the end 'killed' it with his silver bullet. In fact the attacks went on in various regions of rural France for several hundred years!

Cheers.

reply to post by SheeplFlavoredAgain


Thanks for the compliments Sheep. Appreciated. Like you I find the Mesonychid fits the descriptions like a glove. Still, it a tough one to buy - but who knows? Is it possible that pockets of these creatures survived into the 17th century in Europe? I have no idea. I wonder if the fossil record shows any Mesonychid bones in the European region? t would be interesting to know... Those witness descriptions of hooves just don't seem to add up otherwise.

Originally posted by jimbo999

Originally posted by blocula
The beast of gevaudan attacked 210 humans,113 victims died and 98 were devoured.The attacks were so frequent and brutal that many believed the creature to be a demonic being sent by god as punishment,while others thought it was a loup-garou,a werewolf...

I saw a documentary last year that more or less proved that this beast was actually an escaped hyena,or even two of them,a male and female,that were brought back on a sailing ship by someone from africa and then it or they escaped and were roaming the countryside killing and eating for survival...

Hyenas are very strong and savage and are not small,like some people might think they are and at least 99% of people back then,1764-1767,would have not known what a hyena was or what one looked like either and they would have described it as some kind of monster...

Hyenas are formidable hunters and in packs can take down animals as large as zebras.They are also talented scavengers and have no fear when protecting a kill from other animals,even lions.Their jaws have bone-crunching strength and their digestive systems are adapted to digest bone and skin,animal parts that other predators cannot handle.The largest species of hyena is the spotted hyena,which grows up to 6.5 ft long including tail,stand 3 ft tall and weighs between 110-200 pounds...

Hyenas are actually very powerful predators and they often prey on humans in Africa and some parts of Asia.A man eating hyena terrorized Malawi quite recently,forcing hundreds of people to leave their villages.Just like the beast of Gevauden,hyenas are noted for their formidable teeth and strong odor and they are also bigger and more powerful than average wolves...Top 10 worst maneaters in history > listverse.com...

edit on 23-1-2012 by blocula because: (no reason given)

Interesting link - thanks! I still have some doubts about the Hyena theory; as even a Hyena cannot reach the size of a cow or horse, as the Beast was reported to be. But you never know...

I would imagine that the more people this thing,or things killed,the more fear was spread,the bigger it or they would have gotten in peoples terrified minds,the more people it or they killed the more larger than life it or they would have became...

A hyena can get up to 6.5 feet long,stand 3 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds,as big as and perhaps larger than any wolf and hyenas are designed to crush and digest bones,are quite fearless and savage.


The hyena is neither canine nor feline, in fact it is something in between and is the second largest carnivore to the lion in africa and there are recorded incidents of peoples feet being severed by the exceptionally powerful jaws and sharp teeth of the hyena in the night and attacks on sleeping tourists. It is no myth that some people have lost their faces to this extraordinary animal > www.ecademy.com...

A five year old boy is among half a dozen people who have been killed by hyenas in Malawi since Christmas...

The attacks have spread fear among the local population around the city of Blantyre, Malawi's commercial centre...

The government has sent rangers to the area to track down the animals, whose aggressive behaviour has puzzled wildlife experts...Man Eating Hyenas > news.bbc.co.uk...


Sounds awfully similar,doesnt it?

Imo,next to no one back then during the mid 1700's across the french countryside would have even known what a hyena was,or what one looked like...Hmmmm?

Originally posted by blocula

Originally posted by jimbo999

Originally posted by blocula
The beast of gevaudan attacked 210 humans,113 victims died and 98 were devoured.The attacks were so frequent and brutal that many believed the creature to be a demonic being sent by god as punishment,while others thought it was a loup-garou,a werewolf...

I saw a documentary last year that more or less proved that this beast was actually an escaped hyena,or even two of them,a male and female,that were brought back on a sailing ship by someone from africa and then it or they escaped and were roaming the countryside killing and eating for survival...

Hyenas are very strong and savage and are not small,like some people might think they are and at least 99% of people back then,1764-1767,would have not known what a hyena was or what one looked like either and they would have described it as some kind of monster...

Hyenas are formidable hunters and in packs can take down animals as large as zebras.They are also talented scavengers and have no fear when protecting a kill from other animals,even lions.Their jaws have bone-crunching strength and their digestive systems are adapted to digest bone and skin,animal parts that other predators cannot handle.The largest species of hyena is the spotted hyena,which grows up to 6.5 ft long including tail,stand 3 ft tall and weighs between 110-200 pounds...

Hyenas are actually very powerful predators and they often prey on humans in Africa and some parts of Asia.A man eating hyena terrorized Malawi quite recently,forcing hundreds of people to leave their villages.Just like the beast of Gevauden,hyenas are noted for their formidable teeth and strong odor and they are also bigger and more powerful than average wolves...Top 10 worst maneaters in history > listverse.com...

edit on 23-1-2012 by blocula because: (no reason given)

Interesting link - thanks! I still have some doubts about the Hyena theory; as even a Hyena cannot reach the size of a cow or horse, as the Beast was reported to be. But you never know...

I would imagine that the more people this thing,or things killed,the more fear was spread,the bigger it or they would have gotten in peoples terrified minds,the more people it or they killed the more larger than life it or they would have became...

A hyena can get up to 6.5 feet long,stand 3 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds,as big as and perhaps larger than any wolf and hyenas are designed to crush and digest bones,are quite fearless and savage.


The hyena is neither canine nor feline, in fact it is something in between and is the second largest carnivore to the lion in africa and there are recorded incidents of peoples feet being severed by the exceptionally powerful jaws and sharp teeth of the hyena in the night and attacks on sleeping tourists. It is no myth that some people have lost their faces to this extraordinary animal > www.ecademy.com...

A five year old boy is among half a dozen people who have been killed by hyenas in Malawi since Christmas...

The attacks have spread fear among the local population around the city of Blantyre, Malawi's commercial centre...

The government has sent rangers to the area to track down the animals, whose aggressive behaviour has puzzled wildlife experts...Man Eating Hyenas > news.bbc.co.uk...


Sounds awfully similar,doesnt it?

Imo,next to no one back then during the mid 1700's across the french countryside would have even known what a hyena was,or what one looked like...Hmmmm?

edit on 25-1-2012 by blocula because: (no reason given)

I don't doubt your info at all. And I imagine a Hyena in the wild would be a pretty scary proposition. However, to the best of my knowledge, Hyenas don't reach horse-sized proportions, and don't have cloven hoofs. Until we can account for these issues, the mystery still remains MO. If only one ot two witnesses reported these details, I'd be inclined to chalk it down to imagination, but many witnesses report these strange features.

reply to post by jimbo999
One very important factor that we must keep in mind about the people of france concerning this beast.Is the fact that not so many years earlier from when this thing began killing people,there had been many thousands of people over an extended period of time who were accused of being werewolves.People who were then put on trial and many of them were convicted and hundreds,probably even thousands of them were executed.So theres no doubt that paranoia and superstitions about werewolves were already rampant and widespread in france and those fears and memories of those trials surely added to the larger than life stature that this beast attained...