From childhood, a person is formed under the influence of the conditions in which he grows up. And if up to 5 years old a child is surrounded by animals, not people, he adopts their habits and gradually loses his human appearance. “Mowgli's Syndrome” is the name given to cases of the formation of children in the wild. After returning to people, socialization became impossible for many of them. How the fate of the most famous Mowgli children developed is further in the review.
Monument to Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf who nursed them
Photo: davidemicheli.com
The first known case of raising children by animals, according to legend, was the story of Romulus and Remus. According to the myth, in childhood they were raised by a she-wolf, and later found and raised by a shepherd. Romulus became the founder of Rome, and the she-wolf became the emblem of the capital of Italy. However, in real life, stories about Mowgli children rarely have such happy ends.
Frame from the cartoon * Mowgli *, 1973
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Photo: boombob.ru
The story, born of the imagination of Rudyard Kipling, is actually completely implausible: children who were lost before they learned to walk and talk will no longer be able to master these skills in adulthood. The first reliable historical case of raising a child by wolves was recorded in Hesse in 1341. Hunters discovered a child who lived in a pack of wolves, ran on all fours, jumped far, squealed, growled and bite. The 8-year-old boy has spent half of his life among animals. He could not speak and ate only raw food. Shortly after returning to the people, the boy died.
Savage of Aveyron in life and in movies
Photo: wolfnight.ru and kinopoisk.ru
Still from the movie * Wild Child *, 1970
Photo: mirkosmosa.ru
The most detailed case was the story of the "wild boy of Aveyron." In 1797, in France, peasants caught a child of 12-15 years old in the forest, who behaved like a small animal. He could not speak, words were replaced by growls. Several times he ran away from people to the mountains. After being caught again, he became the object of attention of scientists. Naturalist Pierre-Joseph Bonater wrote "Historical Notes on the Savage of Aveyron", where he detailed the results of observations. The boy was insensitive to high and low temperatures, had a special sense of smell and hearing, and refused to wear clothes. Dr. Jean-Marc Itard tried to socialize Victor (as the boy was named) for six years, but he never learned to speak. He died at the age of 40. The life story of Victor of Aveyron formed the basis for the film "Wild Child".
Still from the movie * Wild Child *, 1970
Photo: kino-teatr.ru
Most of the children with Mowgli syndrome are found in India: from 1843 to 1933. 15 such cases were recorded here. Dina Sanichar lived in a den of wolves, he was found in 1867. The boy was taught to walk on two legs, use dishes, wear clothes, but he could not speak. Sanichar died at the age of 34.
Dina Sanichar
Photo: infoniac.ru
Indian Mowgli Amala and Kamala
Photo: weekendowo.pl
In 1920, the inhabitants of an Indian village turned to missionaries to help them get rid of the creepy ghosts from the jungle. The "ghosts" were two girls, 8 and 2 years old, who lived with wolves. They were placed in an orphanage and named Kamala and Amala. They growled and howled, ate raw meat, and moved on all fours. Amala lived for less than a year, Kamala died at the age of 17, having reached the developmental level of a 4-year-old child by this time.
Indian Mowgli Amala and Kamala
Photo: realfacts.ru
In 1975, a 5-year-old child was found among wolves in Italy. He was named Rono and placed at the Institute of Child Psychiatry, where doctors worked to socialize him. But the boy died eating human food.
Still from the movie * Wild Child *, 1970
Photo: kino-teatr.ru
There were many such cases: children were found among dogs, monkeys, pandas, leopards and kangaroos (but more often among wolves). Sometimes the children got lost, sometimes the parents got rid of them themselves. Common symptoms for all the babies with Maguli syndrome who grew up among animals were inability to speak, walking on all fours, fear of people, but at the same time - excellent immunity and good health.
The behavior of children raised among animals is called * Mowgli syndrome *
Photo: nevoobrazharium.ru
Alas, children who grew up among animals are not as strong and beautiful as Mowgli, and if in the period up to 5 years old they did not develop properly, later it was almost impossible to catch up. Even if the child managed to survive, he could no longer socialize.
Frame from the cartoon * Mowgli *, 1973
Photo: igrucki.ru
