Dude! I know what a lion is, but I can still say it's cat like. I know what a hyena is even and I can say it's wolf like. I know what a duck is and I could even say it's goose like! Agggh.

Tia, you seem very close minded. I used to believe it was a wolf too until I actually looked up info and looked more closely into it.

Sorry MadEyePixie, but you're acting like the closed minded one.

Just because someone does not agree with you, does not make them incorrect.
I've also done research on The Beast of Gevaudan and believe it to be a hybrid.

Unfortuently we'll never know 100% for sure what la bete was, so lets agree to disagree.

I know that just because you dont agree doesnt make you incorrect. I was once all into the wolf thing, but because I opened my mind to another possibility I now think it was indeed a hyena.



True, as I said before a photo of the carcass would be killer. Sure, I'll agree to disagree.

I've spent some time studying the topic and I have no doubts that La Bete truly was a kind of hyena. If you've read everything on the subject the answer is obvious ;-) Proofs? Most witnesses described La Bete as a long-necked, furry and striped predator, with unpleasant pig-like mouth ( the nose must have been wide, and relatively short). As to the size, La Bete was not as big as cow, but as big as a one year old calf, and that makes a difference! Witnesses of La Bete attacks often heard its 'demonic' laugh, which made them terrified - do you know any other laughing animals resembling a wolf? I also believe that there were at least two ferocious 'beasts', possibly with their cubs, because sometimes a big one was seen in companion of a smaller one, and that is why once shot La Bete appeared again.This theory also explains why the attacks were dying out for a period of time (sometimes months) just to restart again. Simply, the ferocious parents taught their babies to prefer man flesh rather than other prey, and after they had died their fearful position was replaced. If there was only one La Bete it couldn't have committed her attacks in two distant places almost at the same time. Another fact is, that after Jean Chastel finally killed an animal supposed to be La Bete herself, the attacks stopped but not the sightings. The last sighting took place some time after, for the last time La Bete was seen by a human as it was wondering lonely in a mountain area. That region has lots of prehistoric caves.... By the way there WAS a prehistoric species of hyena that lived in Italy and France in early-middle pleistocene, called 'Short- Faced Hyena'. It could have survived in the caves and evolved into an animal similar to modern hyenas yet different. And one more thing- to this day in France in Auvergne ( which has lots of wild forests still untouched by man) there are sightings... and deaths caused by big, furry and wolf-like beast. But villagers who doesn't want to even talk about that...

Sorry for my inaccurate language, I’m from Europe




If you want to learn more on the subject visit this page
http://labete.7hunters.net/bete1.htm

I've read a little more about prehistoric beasts resembling hyenas. La Bete could also be a Hyaenodon. Check out the picture and the link below

http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/factfiles/fac...s/hyaenodon.htm

it has stripes, and its big! i can see that (it being Le Bete)!

http://www6.nrk.no/programmer/beasts/evide...3/page6_2.shtml

I doubt there's much of a chance of it being something prehistoric. Occam's Razor. Perhaps a menagerie that had several specimons of the same exotic species which escapsed together could describe the multiple animals.

To jump in randomly.
I agree with MadEyePixie that the beast could very well be a hyena, or, if they are close enough to breed, a hyena wolf hybrid. Hyena's are known to be rather violent and have actually been known to raid villages and to attack humans.
If it were a hybrid it probably wouldn't be a very stable animal and could attack humans at random and for no reasons.
Of course it's all here say and speculation. As MadEyePixie said, if we could only have a photo carcass some questions may be answered.

hyena and wolves are from two entirely different groups. i beleive i heard that a hyena is from the same group that brings about weasels and so forth...but i could be mistaken. all i remember is that hyenas are not canines.

As to the hybrid theory, I think it is also possible, however unlikely. If La Bete was a crossbreed it would have existed as the only one of it's kind at that place at that time. But like I said there were more than one identic beasts reported. One of them certainly in companion of smaller ones (not while hunting though).

It is a fact that some big wolves and dogs inhabitating the area fed on the carcasses left by La Bete. But they were certainly not the killers. The shot pair of wolves was said to be responsible, but they only took the occasion. It is not a widely known fact, but a few years after the beast was thought to be gone at last, new killings started, only not on that big scale.

And above it all, I've read that there are still reports of strange, wolf-like beasts, which prowl forrests of Auvergne, France.
Pretty scary

I figured the two couldn't breed, but wasn't entirly sure.

Thank you! Now, Mad eye, you need to cool it girl. You being to noobish. Like "OMFG! IT WAS BIGF00T!!!!111!!!ELEVEN" Just take it easy, no one knows what it was. Ok? It can't be a wolf cause wolves don't eat skulls, it can't be a hyena cause they don't have stripes. My opinion is that is a Hyenadon or a Tazzy Tiger. They did say the Europians caught them, and some may have been brought back to Franch, one might have escaped, and they couldn't find there natural food source, so they killed people.

Thank you! Now, Mad eye, you need to cool it girl. You being to noobish. Like "OMFG! IT WAS BIGF00T!!!!111!!!ELEVEN" Just take it easy, no one knows what it was. Ok? It can't be a wolf cause wolves don't eat skulls, it can't be a hyena cause they don't have stripes. My opinion is that is a Hyenadon or a Tazzy Tiger. They did say the Europians caught them, and some may have been brought back to Franch, one might have escaped, and they couldn't find there natural food source, so they killed people.

Sorry, my comp was acting up, it's being a mofo. Remind me to kill it guys, ok?

Well, not to be "noobish", but as I said before it could have been a striped hyena...they're called that for a reason.



Righ.....t. Never will you see that come out of my mouth er...typed from my hands. Forgive me for being excited when making a point. Thats how I am. Would you prefer I be dull or not defend my point at all?



Well duh. That's why I said a picture of the stuffed carcass would be nice. Although it was stuidied by a zoologist. Oh no! Did I just sound "noobish?" Oh dear I shall go kick myself now!


Pfft.

That was a great quote/ encounter Moonlight, where did you find it?

There are more such stories here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guide.../werewolf.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guide...werewolf2.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northeast/guide..._darkness.shtml

Some stories are worth reading, but some are just piteous ... I mean there are people claiming that they actually change into werewolves.... Anyway, see other links on their site too.

Thanks Moonlight, I'll have a good look when I get a chance.

Sorry to bring back an old topic, but did anyone catch the Animal X episode that was on just a bit ago about the beast? Animal X has totally debunked the idea of it being and wolf and a hyena. (Although, I still sort of see it as a possibility.) The theory they compiled out of a few people is that the Chastels and a count bred a wolf with a dog and created a hybrid animal. They then trained the animal to kill humans viciously to help carry out the French Revolution. This they think is the true identity of the beast. It does make sense if you look at the killing patterns and where they occured. Straight lines and right in the backyards basically of the count and the Chastels. Crazy stuff, isnt it?

a la bete c'est un tres monstre oui! il attaque des petit fils. salo

English please.

you telling me you can't understand that beautiful Tia?

none of you speak french? for shame, nah i just wanted to talk in the mother tongue of that country

that was french?

perhaps i should of studied more at school

I think I understood about 2 words of it.

i'm not sure what it is. i do think there was human involvement and i dont think it was a werewolf or a hyena. somehow im not sure it was a hybrid, but im not sure.

if it was a hybrid, what wolf and what dog?