What was the Beast of Gévaudan?

Gévaudan was a region in the south of France, it was a rural and wooded region. Starting in 1764, a series of animal attacks began that terrorized the population. By 1767, about a hundred people were killed by a creature that became known as “The Beast.”

Survivors described a very large animal with reddish fur. The creature also had a tasseled tail, a dark line along its spine, and spots on its sides. It was also incredibly strong and vicious, leaving few people to describe its attacks. Those who did also added that "The Beast" had sharp claws, a ferocious howl, and the ability to jump about 30 feet.

King Louis XV of France sent many royal hunters to find and kill "The Beast", believing it was a wolf. However, hunters had little luck. One was believed to have slain "The Beast" in 1765, but the attacks continued. In 1767, The Beast’s reign of terror ended after a Gévaudan farmer named Jean Chastel shot a large animal. As the attacks ceased, this creature is believed to have been "The Beast".

However, historians are still unsure what The Beast was. Some still hold the belief that it was a large wolf. Others, though, have their own theories. One is that The Beast was the last of an extinct species, such as the dire wolf. Some also believe it was a hybrid of one such ancient animal and the modern wolf.

People who have studied the story also point to other animals. Some believe it was a hyena. Another popular theory is that "The Beast" was a lion.