Raised in the wild: Spain's famous "wolf boy" dies

Live updates

1. 22d ago

   Spain's "wolf boy" Marcos Rodriguez Pantoja dies at 80

   Marcos Rodriguez Pantoja, known as the wolf boy of Sierra Morena, has died at age 80. Pantoja gained international attention for spending his childhood living among wolves in the mountains of Spain. Reports indicate he was sold to a goat herder at age 7 and left alone in the mountains, where he lived with wild predators before being found years later. His death has prompted a renewed interest in his life story across the internet.

   Why it matters

   Pantoja's case is one of the most famous examples of a feral child. His survival in the wilderness provided a rare study on human adaptation and animal social structures.

   What is confirmed

   • Marcos Rodriguez Pantoja died at age 80.
   • Pantoja lived among wolves in the Sierra Morena mountains of Spain.
   • Pantoja spent 12 years living with a pack of wolves.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Pantoja was sold to a goat herder at age 7 and left alone in the mountains.
   • Pantoja was found 11 years after being left in the mountains.
   Sources used for this update (6)

   1. My Modern Met — Man Who Spent His Childhood Living Among Wolves Passes Away at 80
   2. CNN — Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja, Spain’s “wolf boy of Sierra Morena,” dies aged 80
   3. Yahoo — He Was Sold to a Goat Herder at 7, Left Alone in the Mountains, and Found 11 Years Later Living Alongside Wolves — Internet Is Rediscovering His Story After His Death
   4. Around Prague — Spain's "Wolf Boy," Who Spent 12 Years Living Among Wild Predators in the Mountains, Dies
   5. Euronews.com — Raised in the wild: Spain's famous "wolf boy" dies
   6. the-sun.com — Boy ‘raised by wolves’ who spent 12 years living with a pack dies aged 80
   confidence 90%