62+ Bewildering Werewolves Facts For The Fan Of Supernatural Fiction

Sridevi Tolety
Dec 09, 2022 By Sridevi Tolety
Originally Published on Feb 02, 2022
Edited by Naomi Carr
Fact-checked by Nishtha Dixit
Werewolves facts include; werewolves have the ability to turn back into human form when the full moon goes away.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.3 Min

The wolf is commonly seen in many mythologies throughout the world!

They are often associated with Ancient Greece. One such example is Apollo, who is the god of order and light.

Ancient Romans have joined wolves and their god of agriculture and war together and associated them. Norse mythology also mentions wolves which are huge, and shows them as pets! They are known to be intelligent animals and have an ancestry that is common to canines.

Werewolf Genome

Wolves descent from C. lupus which is extant through C. mosbachensis; these genetics are widely accepted. Some fossils have been found in Canada and Alaska which confirm this. Here are some fun facts about werewolves.

  • Werewolves (wolf-men) are commonly accepted creatures, especially in European folklores (werewolf legends), which were developed at the height of the medieval period.
  • They can be said to be a development of Christian interpretations of wolves, which were very large and scary looking.
  • Once upon a time, werewolves were thought to be gigantic lemurs originating from the island of Madagascar.
  • In mythology, any person who was scratched or bitten by a werewolf could become a werewolf.
  • The curse known as lycanthropy could be passed on from parent to child, according to some interpretations.
  • It is said that the werewolf gene is a recessive gene type, so to become a werewolf, you must have one recessive gene from each parent.
  • Werewolfism or lycanthropy (a human being in wolf form) is a condition formed in humans after a specific mutation that takes place in werewolves.

Differences Between Werewolves and Normal Wolves

Wolves are four-legged creatures and are often known to roam and hunt in packs. They are said to howl at night or to signal other wolves about any signs of danger.

  • A werewolf is a wolf-like creature and a mythical animal that can transform itself into a human being. Wolves are animals who live in forests or jungles.
  • Wolves belong to the canine family and have ancestors similar to dogs, while werewolves (wolf-like creatures) can be traced back to Europe but are creatures from folklore (werewolf legends).
  • Wolves look like dogs in appearance but are more fierce and aggressive. Whereas, werewolves look like human beings when normal and then transform into scary-looking monsters.
  • Werewolves can run extremely fast and have supernatural strength and power, while wolves can also run fast and have excellent hearing.
  • Wolves can be easily killed by any normal hunting methods, but werewolves can only be killed by silver bullets.
  • A werewolf can think in human form with human features. However, wolves are intelligent animals but cannot think as complexly as humans.
  • Werewolves can transform themselves into humans, while a wolf cannot transform itself into a human.
  • Werewolves are afraid of silver bullets while wolves are not.
  • Werewolves are also immortal creatures unless they are killed by special means; wolves are mortal animals.
  • The characteristics of a wolf are inherited by their parents, while for a werewolf, the characteristics are not inherited by their parents.
  • The werewolf is a supernatural creature in children's tales or historical tales while a wolf is a normal animal without any superhuman abilities.
  • Wolves are animals that are made by their own kind by copulation. Conversely, werewolves are caused by a rare genetic mutation that requires a special kind of gene to be present on both parents.

Do you know about the means of killing a werewolf?

Wolves have ancestors that can be traced back to North America and Eurasia. They can be aggressive animals if bothered by a human. They are also highly smart animals who live in packs. Let's read on to find out all about werewolves.

  • Lycanthrope is a Greek word that gave rise to the word werewolf we commonly use today.
  • They have a shape-shifting ability and can become either humans or werewolves or a combination like a wolf-man.
  • Werewolves can be awakened on a full moon and they are very different from humans or wolves.
  • In movies, it is shown that a single silver bullet can kill a werewolf.
  • They cannot be killed by other simple means like bow and arrow.
  • However, it is also said that a werewolf needs to be shot with silver bullets at least five times to kill a mature wolf properly.
  • Another way to hunt a werewolf is by using mercury. It is also called quicksilver as it is very similar to using silver bullets.
  • When you want to make these wolf-like creatures easier to hunt, killing their leader will usually result in the pack becoming scared, making it easier to kill them.
  • Pitting werewolves against one another for a fight might kill them as they fight for dominance.
  • Another way to kill a werewolf is to search for one in the human form. The human form is much easier to kill and will subsequently end the werewolf too.
  • Werewolves can be killed by any tool that is made from silver or mercury as they are in some way related to the moon.

Werewolves Vs. Vampires

Vampires and werewolves are both mystical and mythical animals that are known to kill innocent humans. But they are very different from one other. So let's learn about some true facts about werewolves.

  • Werewolves, as well as vampires, are mythical creatures in our history of children folklore.
  • Vampires are immortal and cannot age once they become these creatures.
  • Werewolves can age and are also mortal animals., which means they die as they age.
  • Vampires are known to drink blood, whereas werewolves can eat the same diet as humans for most of their life.
  • Both of these creatures are known to be scary and might be a threat to humans with their tendency to attack human beings.
  • The werewolf form (wolf-man) and vampires are often shown to hate one another and shown as rivals.
  • Vampires are said to be charming and charismatic and can lure their victims; werewolves are known to be aggressive and animal-like in human form.
  • Werewolf bites are used while hunting in packs, while vampires hunt late at night.
  • One way to identify werewolves from humans is to cut their wolf skin.
  • If you find fur in a wound, there is a possibility that this is a werewolf according to werewolf folklore.
  • Werewolves can be made during a full moon; vampires are made when they are bitten by other vampires.
Since the ancient Greece period, werewolves have appeared in folklore.

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Werewolves

Wolves can be killed by hunters using many common prey traps, which are used for other animals like bow and arrows, guns, and poison. They howl at full moons. They are commonly represented in children's books and have also been mentioned by Roman writers.

  • Werewolves are very strong and powerful and have a lot of physical strength; hence one shouldn't try to go near them.
  • They can outrun anyone, including animals and humans, and are very difficult to catch or kill, so it is better to avoid them.
  • They cannot be killed by common hunting tools used on other animals, according to werewolf lore.
  • One weakness of werewolves is their vulnerability to silver bullets.
  • They are only scared of silver bullets or weapons made of mercury.
  • Silverswords or sharp tools made out of silver can also prove to be fatal to the werewolf.
  • Moonlight is said to be a powerful environment to go against werewolves.
  • This idea has originated from the moon goddess by the name of Luna, so the silver bullet theory has recently gained traction.
  • Werewolves are also known to be scared of fire; this is because they have a lot of fur, which can be set on fire and could prove to be fatal.
  • It is also said that since werewolves are difficult to kill, beheading them might be your best option to fight them.
  • This animal is also said to be scared of bright flashes, which might get it confused, so you can shine a torch in their eyes.
  • Flashing bright light towards their eyes will lead them to become suddenly blind and can take many minutes for their vision to come back to normal.
  • Werewolves are also scared of very loud noises and high pitches as these can cause them to become distracted and confused.
  • Werewolves hate loud noises as they are very sensitive to hearing. Their ears are said to be 80 times stronger than a human's.
  • However, noise can also be a strength for the werewolf as sensitive hearing can help them to find their prey.
  • They also have amazing agility which means that they have great body coordination and balance.
  • They are also very strong and cannot be easily defeated in a fight against anyone, especially humans.
  • It is said that in some cases werewolves are also capable of sensing or detecting lies.
  • Werewolves are able to regenerate in some cases. If they are hurt, they will be able to heal fast.
  • They also have highly intuned senses and can even see in infrared light.

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Written by Sridevi Tolety

Bachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

Sridevi Tolety picture

Sridevi ToletyBachelor of Science specializing in Botany, Master of Science specializing in Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs

With a Master's degree in clinical research from Manipal University and a PG Diploma in journalism from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Sridevi has cultivated her passion for writing across various domains. She has authored a wide range of articles, blogs, travelogues, creative content, and short stories that have been published in leading magazines, newspapers, and websites. Sridevi is fluent in four languages and enjoys spending her spare time with loved ones. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, cooking, painting, and listening to music.

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