By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
What's The JamWhat's The Jam
  • Home
  • Latest News
    • UK News
    • World News
  • Super ViralHot
  • Lifestyle
    • Health and Fitness
    • Photography
    • Property
  • Humor
  • Celebrity
  • Weird
  • Videos
  • All Topics
    • Babies and Kids
    • Celebrity
    • Comedy and Humor
    • Documentary and Reportage
    • Fails
    • Health and Fitness
    • Holidays and Travel
    • Influencers and Models
    • Latest Videos
    • Life Hacks
    • Lifestyle
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Pets and Animals
    • Photography
    • Property
    • Real Life
    • Sport
    • Strange and Bizarre
    • Super Viral
    • UK News
    • World News
Search
  • Health and Fitness
  • Holidays and Travel
  • Nature and Wildlife
  • Pets and Animals
  • Photography
  • Babies and Kids
  • Comedy and Humor
  • Fails
  • Real Life
  • Strange and Bizarre
  • Submit News
  • Customize Interests
  • Bookmarks
  • Newsletter
  • Who Are We
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Real-life Mowgli got lost in jungle aged eight until he was 11
Share
Notification Show More
Aa
What's The JamWhat's The Jam
Aa
  • News
  • World
  • Viral
  • Funny
  • Weird
  • Celebrity
  • DIY
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
    • News
    • World
    • Super Viral
    • Videos
  • All Topics
    • Babies and Kids
    • Celebrity
    • Comedy and Humor
    • Documentary and Reportage
    • Fails
    • Health and Fitness
    • Holidays and Travel
    • Influencers and Models
    • Life Hacks
    • Lifestyle
    • Nature and Wildlife
    • Pets and Animals
    • Photography
    • Property
    • Real Life
    • Sport
    • Strange and Bizarre
  • Quick Links
    • Customize Interests
    • Bookmarks
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of use
    • Write For Us
    • Advertise
    • Contact
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
Aelcio Alves do Nascimento the Real-life Mowgli got lost in jungle aged eight until he was 11.
World News

Real-life Mowgli got lost in jungle aged eight until he was 11

William McGee
Last updated: 2024/01/10 at 2:37 PM
William McGee
Share
5 Min Read
Aelcio Alves do Nascimento. (Picture: Jam Press)
SHARE

A real-life Mowgli claims he was raised by jaguars in the jungle after going missing when he was eight years old.

Aelcio Alves do Nascimento said he got marooned after a fight with his brother over a toy car at Christmas time in 1978.

He claimed to local media: “My father, very strict, took a biriba stick, beat me, and I ran until I fell into a river.

“I swam to a certain point, but then I got lost.

- Advertisement -

“I spent a night in the jungle, afraid to try to go back home, so I kept walking.”

Aelcio, now 53, says he had to sleep in armadillo burrows during the rainy season.

To survive, he ate roots, fruit, piassava coconuts, raw freshwater prawns, and even larvae from rotten wood.

READ MORE: VIDEO: Locals terrified as ‘goblin’ is caught on CCTV

Aelcio Alves do Nascimento the Real-life Mowgli got lost in jungle aged eight until he was 11.
Aelcio Alves do Nascimento. (Picture: Jam Press)

He recalled: “There was a time when I went to get a root, and I spent two days drunk.”

- Advertisement -

Aelcio also told of the time he came face-to-face with a terrifying jaguar during one of his wanderings.

He said: “I hid in a hole from the jaguar, and it stayed outside, trying to catch me with its paws.

“There was no way out. I said to myself, ‘If I get through this, I won’t sleep on the ground anymore.’

- Advertisement -

“Then it got distracted with another animal and calmed down. When I came out, I climbed the first tree I saw.

“From then on, I never slept in a hole again.”

Aelcio now works as a lifeguard in the village of Baixio, part of Esplanada municipality in Bahia state, north-eastern Brazil.

He said: “As I spent a lot of time in the woods, my voice became a grunt. I understood very little.

“That’s why I still stutter today. I imitated the animals a lot, saw how they lived, and adapted.”

One of his last memories from the jungle was when he saw a jaguar and jumped from tree to tree to avoid it.

But while fleeing, he lost his grip, rolled down a hill, and fell into a swamp, where he was spotted by a farmer after three years when he was 11.

The farmer mistook him for a caipora — a mythical, mischievous forest dweller represented as a small, dark-skinned, naked child

Aelcio recalled: “He thought I was a caipora and set a dog on me.

“When I came out, he shouted, ‘It’s not a caipora, it’s a boy.’ That’s how I was found.”

Aelcio was then taken into a town, where he was recognised by his godmother.

He said: “When they gave me regular food, I smelt a terrible odour. It took me a while to eat again.

“I took a long time to get used to cooking food. I ended up in the hospital sick.”

These days, Aelcio tries not to romanticise his experience.

Aelcio Alves do Nascimento the Real-life Mowgli got lost in jungle aged eight until he was 11.
Aelcio Alves do Nascimento. (Picture: Jam Press)

He said: “I don’t recommend this life experience to anyone because spending time in the woods, living like an animal, is not easy.

“My relatives thought I was dead. They couldn’t find me anymore.

“It’s something I don’t recommend, but it’s also an experience that no one can take away from me.

After re-adapting to normal life, Aelcio went on to have two daughters and four grandchildren.

He said: “I went back into the woods a few years ago. But it’s sad. A lot has changed.

“Where I used to pass, there are now houses, eucalyptus plantations, most of the trees have been cut down.

“If it were today, they wouldn’t have taken me out of the woods. I would have stayed there to defend everything.”

READ MORE: VIDEO: Two 9ft 8ins tall ‘aliens’ spotted on hilltop

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • X

Have a story to tell? Hello@whatsthejam.com
TAGGED: Brazil, survival, Surviving

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article video of Gabriel Berón the man who was struck by lightning. VIDEO: Horror moment lightning strikes young man under tree
Next Article Video grab of Mohammad Redzuan Abdullah wrapping up the remains of his python Cik Kiah, in cling film and freezing it. Snake lover says goodbye to beloved 38st, 23ft long python
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

235.3k Followers Like
69.1k Followers Follow
11.6k Followers Pin
56.4k Followers Follow
136k Subscribers Subscribe
4.4k Followers Follow
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Latest News

London Zoo celebrates a baby boom with 18 Humboldt penguin chicks, as seven make their splashy debut at Penguin Beach in a boost for global conservation efforts.
Baby penguins take their first swim during UK heatwave
Pets and Animals 11 July 2025
Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is saved by a mystery investor after facing closure, with plans to reopen in a new venue and continue delighting cat lovers under new leadership.
London’s famous cat café is coming back ‘better than ever’ as ‘well-loved’ CUSTOMER swoops in to become angel investor
UK News 11 July 2025
A mama bear and her cubs stunned Alaska tourists by approaching after fleeing a male bear, in a rare calm encounter captured by veteran guide Casey Cooper.
Mama bear and cubs befriend tourists after being chased by aggressive male
Nature and Wildlife 11 July 2025
White-tailed eagle dubbed Kinky stuns experts by surviving a broken wing and harsh winter, thanks to devoted parents and his own resilience, spotted soaring over Mull.
Eagle which broke wing dubbed a miracle after being nursed by back to health for over a year by devoted parents
Nature and Wildlife 11 July 2025

You Might also Like

The £2.5m Pagani Huayra Codalunga Speedster hits 217mph with V12 power, mint green styling, and ultra-rare exclusivity as only 10 handcrafted models will be built.
World News

Brand new 217mph Pagani set to sell for £2.5m…and they are so rare only 10 are being hand-built

11 July 2025
A fisherman stumbled upon a medieval sword possibly linked to the Knights Templar in Warsaw’s Vistula River - experts now analyzing the rare, centuries-old artefact.
World News

Stunned fisherman finds medieval ‘Knights Templar sword’ in river

10 July 2025
A 60cm mud volcano dubbed the world’s smallest has emerged in a Peruvian village, sparking intrigue and environmental concern as experts investigate its unusual activity.
World News

‘World’s smallest volcano’ discovered… and it’s only 60cm tall

10 July 2025
A woman in Málaga hilariously stuck items to her chest to show off the extreme 30C heatwave humidity - her viral TikTok highlights life in Spain’s steamy Costa del Sol.
World News

Clammy woman in Brit holiday hotspot sticks random household items to her chest to show extreme 30C heatwave humidity

9 July 2025
A £1,500 underwater jetpack with AI navigation and 90-minute runtime offers 007-style dives up to 60ft deep, blending sleek design with hands-free marine exploration.
World News

007-style underwater JETPACK to go on sale for £1,500

9 July 2025
A rare young Ceratosaurus skeleton from the late Jurassic era is set for a \$6m Sotheby’s auction, featuring 43 teeth, complete skull bones, and exceptional preservation.
World News

Rare Ceratosaurus dinosaur skeleton set to fetch staggering $6m at auction

9 July 2025
Brit Jak Aitcheson failed the Benidorm belly buster breakfast challenge and was mocked for barely touching the 2,760-calorie feast - claiming he nodded off mid-meal.
World News

Brit holidaymaker mocked over ‘pathetic’ attempt at Benidorm belly buster challenge

9 July 2025
Parkour star Noa Diorgina Man goes viral after falling into Rotterdam river during a water challenge, with fans praising her grace and asking about her stylish outfit.
World News

Parkour champion plunges in river in epic fail

8 July 2025
//

What’s The Jam is your one stop website for the latest viral and weird news from around the world.

 
Have a story to tell? Hello@whatsthejam.com

Quick Link

  • Customize Interests
  • Bookmarks
  • Write for Us
  • Newsletter
  • About Us

Top Categories

  • UK News
  • World News
  • Latest Videos
  • Lifestyle
  • Super Viral

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

[mc4wp_form]

What's The JamWhat's The Jam
Follow US
© 2023 What's The Jam. All Rights Reserved.
Go to mobile version
adbanner
AdBlock Detected
Our site is an advertising supported site. Please whitelist to support our site.
Okay, I'll Whitelist
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?