The Champawat Tiger

The story of the Champawat Tiger is one of the most chilling—and famous—accounts of a man-eating predator in history. 

In the late 1800s, this Bengal tigress lived in the forests of Nepal. After being injured (likely by hunters or losing her natural prey), she began attacking humans instead of animals. This shift turned her into a “man-eater.”

She is believed to have killed over 200 people in Nepal before authorities tried to stop her. Nepalese soldiers were sent to stop the predator, but the tigress seemed to anticipate traps and patrols. She moved through the forest with unnatural cunning. After months of chasing her across ravines and valleys, the soldiers finally drove her southward, bleeding from gunshot wounds but alive. 

She crossed the Mahakali River into India and entered the Kumaon district of India, where her attacks escalated dramatically. The tigress now hunted in daylight. She dragged people from footpaths, riverbanks, fields, and even village edges. Children were taken from beside their mothers. Lumbermen disappeared in the middle of their workday.

By the time the tigress reached the outskirts of Champawat village, documented fatalities had reached well over 400. Locals believed the number was far higher.