Dubbed the “Siberian Mowgli,” this 20-year-old man has spent the past 16 years of his life living in a remote forest in Siberia.
A young man emerged from a remote forest in Siberia where he's reportedly been living the past 16 years.
Dubbed the "Siberian Mowgli" in a nod to "The Jungle Book," the 20-year-old man was reported to authorities by a woman living near the town of Belokurikha, a famous resort area in Russia's Altai region, according to UPI.
More from GlobalPost: Feral pig gets drunk, picks fight with cow and passes out under tree
In clear but delayed speech, he told officers he was born in 1993 and had been living in the forest since 1997, when his parents chose to abandon society.
His parents then appear to have abandoned him in May this year, AFP reported.
"I'm living well, thank you," the man told the Siberian Times. "We are living well. This is the reality we have that we live here, and it's quite a good reality."
More from GlobalPost: Teen killed by toy helicopter in New York City park
Following a brief talk with authorities, he went back into the forest, where he's been busy collecting wood ahead of Siberia's brutal winter, according to RIA Novosti.
Authorities are expected to issue him an ID.
“He has no education, no social skills and no ideas about the world beyond the forest,” local prosecutor Roman Fomin told Russia Today.
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.