Spanish Mowgli shows how to make friends with the wolves
Independent, The (London), Jul 20, 2006 by Graham Keeley in Barcelona
He is the Spanish Mowgli, a boy who grew up alongside a pack of wolves.
Like Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book character, Fernando Peralta learnt about life from inside the lair of some of the world's fiercest animals. He was reared with seven wolves and two lions in a wild animal reserve near Madrid. "When I was born, my mother had nine cubs in the house," he says. "Seven were wolves, two were lions. I was the tenth."
Now the 27-year-old is the only human who can come close to Richi, an Iberian wolf which Fernando calls his best friend. He feeds Richi by hand, and often behaves like the other wolves, defending himself from any threats by growling and baring his teeth.
Since Richi was born 18 months ago and the first thing he saw was Fernan-do's face, a bond has grown between man and wolf. But in rare moments of aggression from the 30kg animal, Fernando responds by biting back to keep his charge in check. "At the first sign, I have to respond. Wolves always try to establish their superiority," he says.
He takes Richi to summer courses at Madrid's Complutense University to show people how to deal with wild animals। Escorted around the campus on a thick leash, Richi has become the centre of attention among wary students.
