This Russian family cut themselves off from civilisation for 40 years

A Russian Old Believer family managed to escape civilisation for four decades in the unforgiving Siberian wilderness before being stumbled upon by a pilot in 1978.

The Lykov family, led by the father Karp, lived in a makeshift hut hidden in the remote corner of Siberia, reports Nature World News. 

Their existence was unknown until a pilot scouting the area spotted signs of human habitation on a mountainside near a tributary of the Abakan River.

A team of geologists, led by Galina Pismenskaya, ventured into the wilderness to investigate further and discovered the Lykovs living in seclusion. Initially wary of the strangers, Karp and his four children eventually warmed up to the scientists.

The Lykovs' retreat into the wilderness was prompted by persecution faced by the Old Believer sect, exacerbated by Bolshevik rule in the 1930s. The family endured extreme hardships, with only five members surviving by the time they were discovered: Karp, Savin, Natalia, Dmitry, and Agafia. Their mother, Akulina, had passed away in 1961 due to starvation.

Living off a meagre diet of potato patties, ground rye, and hemp seeds, supplemented by whatever they could forage or hunt, the Lykovs faced constant hunger and harsh conditions. 

Yet, they persevered, displaying intelligence and skill despite their primitive lifestyle.

Tragically, most of the family members succumbed to illness and harsh conditions in 1981 and 1988. Agafia, the sole survivor, continues to live in their taiga dwelling, surrounded by animals, in the present day.

The story of the Lykov family's extraordinary survival in the Siberian wilderness serves as a testament to human resilience and the enduring power of the human spirit in the face of adversity.