Fun Fact #329 The Beast of Gevaudan

 Fun Fact #329

The Beast of Gévadunand

It was the beginning of summer 1764, when a young woman named Marie Jeanne Valet was tending cattle in south-central France. Then a wolf of monstrous size came out from the woods and attacked before being driven off by the Bulls in the herd she was tending. Marie would be the first survivor of the attacks but by the end of the summer 113 would be killed and another 98 injured by The Beast of Gévadunand.

Just what was the Beast however? In early 1763 The French surrendered to the British in the French and Indian war, and thus many Frenchmen were sent home. It wasn't soon after that plague swept the region leading to many bodies being abandoned before being eaten by wild animals. This taught the native wolves that humans could be a food source while giving them the excess food they needed to grow to massive sizes leading to the attacks. While tragic the event helped teach Europe why proper burial existed, or else more man eaters could be created.