Man known as the “wolf boy of Sierra Morena” dies at 80 in Spain

Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja, known as the “wolf boy of Sierra Morena,” has died at the age of 80 in Ourense, Galicia, according to local media.

Born in Córdoba in 1946, Rodríguez Pantoja endured a difficult childhood. After his mother died and his father remarried, he was reportedly subjected to abuse and was eventually sent to live with an elderly goatherd in the Sierra Morena mountains.

After the man left, Marcos spent more than 10 years living largely among wolves, developing a close relationship with the pack. He later recalled learning to survive in the wilderness, communicate through sounds and find food.

In 1965, at around 17 years old, he was found by men in the mountains and taken into custody. His return to society proved extremely difficult, as he had to learn to walk upright, speak and use utensils again.

His extraordinary story was later documented by Spanish writer and anthropologist Gabriel Janer Manila, whose interviews with Marcos inspired the book He jugado con lobos.