Coatless three-year-old is thought to have followed puppy into snowy forest populated by wolves and bears

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A toddler has been rescued after three days alone in a forest that is home to bears and wolves in southern Siberia.



Three-year-old Tserin Dopchut sparked a huge land and air search when he wandered into the woodland on Sunday 18 September, the Siberian Times reported.

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He had been playing with dogs under the supervision of his great-grandmother near his home in Khut, a village of around 400 people in the Piy-Khemsky district of the Tuva republic.

Tserin was wearing shoes but no coat when he wandered into the taiga, the snow forest covering much of Russia, and had a small bar of chocolate in his pocket. He may have been following a puppy.

More than 100 people were involved in the search effort over day and night, while a helicopter covered an area of some 120 sq km.

He was eventually found on Wednesday after 72 hours in the wilderness, having slept in a makeshift bed between the roots of a larch tree.



Ayas Saryglar, the regional emergencies chief, told the Siberian Times that Tserin had survived a “very dangerous” ordeal.

“There are wolves, and bears in the forest. The bears are now fattening for the winter. They can attack anything that moves. In addition, it is warm during the day, but at night there are even frosts.”

Tserin had not suffered any injuries in the ordeal.

Sholban Kara-Ool, the head of the Tuva republic, announced that the boy had been found in the taiga about three kilometres south from the village of Khut.

He said Tserin heard his uncle calling for him, and called back.

“Once his uncle hugged him, the little boy asked if his toy car was okay. ...

“The whole village is throwing a party to celebrate his survival. He was given the second name of Mowgli.

“It is now predicted he will become a rescuer himself, because he showed incredible stamina for his age by surviving for so long alone in these cold woods.”