Now that is social-distancing: Serbian hermit who lives in a cave gets his Covid jab after discovering pandemic was raging and tells anti-vaxxers they should take the vaccine too

A Serbian hermit who lives in a cave has received his Covid-19 vaccine after he discovered the pandemic was raging - and has encouraged anti-vaxxers to get the jab too. 

Panta Petrovic, 70, only discovered there was a pandemic when he ventured out of his tiny mountain cave home and visited the nearby town of Pirot last year. 

But despite choosing social distancing as a lifestyle choice, Petrovic got jabbed as soon as Covid-19 vaccines became available.

'The does not pick. It will come here, to my cave, too', the 70-year-old said in his cave on the forested Stara Planina mountain in southern Serbia.     

 

Petrovic said he 'doesn't understand the fuss' some vaccine sceptics make, and underlined that he believes in a process that aims to eradicate diseases.

'I want to get all three doses, including the extra one. I urge every citizen to get vaccinated, every single one of them.' 

Panta Petrovic, 70, only discovered there was a pandemic when he ventured out of his tiny mountain cave home and visited the nearby town of Pirot last year

Serbian hermit 70-year-old Panta Petrovic rests in his bedroom in his cave on the forested Stara Planina mountain in southern Serbia

Despite choosing social distancing as a lifestyle choice, Petrovic got jabbed as soon as Covid-19 vaccines became available

Until the 1990s, Petrovic worked in France as a technician for overseas cargo ships but decided to return home to Serbia after 18 years abroad. He remarried on multiple occasions, a life he called 'hectic'

Until the 1990s, Petrovic worked in France as a technician for overseas cargo ships but decided to return home to Serbia after 18 years abroad. He remarried on multiple occasions, a life he called 'hectic'. 

Until the 1990s, Petrovic worked in France as a technician for overseas cargo ships but decided to return home to Serbia after 18 years abroad. He remarried on multiple occasions, a life he called 'hectic'. 

During this time, life became tough when war erupted. He decided to leave his family home in Pirot and move to the suburbs - but instead of living in a home, he constructed a tree house 26ft off the ground. 

During this time, life became tough when war erupted. He decided to leave his family home in Pirot and move to the suburbs - but instead of living in a home, he constructed a tree house 26ft off the ground. 

The 70-year-old gave up his career as a mechanical engineer fifteen years ago in a bid to distance himself from the grind of modern life, initially moving into a tree house he built himself.  

The 70-year-old gave up his career as a mechanical engineer fifteen years ago in a bid to distance himself from the grind of modern life, initially moving into a tree house he built himself. 

Now, the cave Petrovic calls home is accessible only by a steep climb that is not for the fainthearted. It is equipped with an old rusty bathtub which he uses as a toilet, some benches and a stack of hay that serves as a bed.  

Always a nature lover, he gradually found out that isolating from society brings him freedom he never tasted before.

'I was not free in the city. There is always someone in your way - you either argue with your wife, neighbours, or the police', Petrovic told AFP while peeling vegetables for lunch.

'Here, nobody is hassling me', the man added with a smile, revealing his decaying teeth.  

Petrovic mostly feeds on mushrooms and fish from the local creek, but also hikes downtown in search of leftover food in the bins. And his visits to the town have become more regular recently.

Serbian hermit Panta Petrovic gives a phone call with a cellphone in front a cave outside the southern Serbian city of Pirot

Petrovic mostly feeds on mushrooms and fish from the local creek, but also hikes downtown in search of leftover food in the bins. And his visits to the town have become more regular recently

The cave Petrovic calls home is accessible only by a steep climb that is not for the fainthearted. It is equipped with an old rusty bathtub which he uses as a toilet, some benches and a stack of hay that serves as a bed

The gang includes several goats, a flock of chickens, some thirty dogs and cats and his favourite - an adult wild boar named Mara

The 70-year-old gave up his career as a mechanical engineer fifteen years ago in a bid to distance himself from the grind of modern life and now lives in a self-made house in the southern city of Pirot 

The 70-year-old gave up his career as a mechanical engineer fifteen years ago in a bid to distance himself from the grind of modern life, initially moving into a tree house he built himself. He now lives in a tiny mountain cave

Hermit Panta Petrovic, 70, demonstrates how he leaves his bedroom in his tiny mountain cave house on the forested Stara Planina mountain in Serbia

Serbian hermit 70-year-old Panta Petrovic rests in his bedroom in his cave on the forested Stara Planina mountain in southern Serbia

After wolves slaughtered some of the animals he kept near the cave, Petrovic decided to move them to a shack he assembled in the outskirts of the town where he thought they would be safe.

The gang includes several goats, a flock of chickens, some thirty dogs and cats and his favourite - an adult wild boar named Mara.  

Petrovic found her eight years ago as a helpless piglet entangled in the bushes, and bottle-fed her until she recovered.

Now, the intimidating 400lbs (200kg) animal playfully rolls in the creek and eats apples from Petrovic's hand.

'She means everything to me, I love her and she listens to me. There is no money that can buy such a thing. A true pet', Petrovic said.

Among the animals, there are three kittens whose mother was killed by a wolf, which he now feeds through a syringe.

Petrovic receives welfare, but also relies on donations for food and supplies for the animals. 

Before isolating, Petrovic donated all the money he had made abroad to the community by funding the construction of three small bridges in the town.

'Money is cursed, it spoils people. I think nothing can corrupt a human like money', Petrovic told AFP.

On top of one of the bridges, Petrovic built a pigeon loft which he, despite his advancing age, effortlessly climbs in order to stock them with pieces of bread he found while searching the bins. 

Petrovic found her eight years ago as a helpless piglet entangled in the bushes, and bottle-fed her until she recovered. Now, the intimidating 400lbs (200kg) animal playfully rolls in the creek and eats apples from Petrovic's hand

Petrovic mostly feeds on mushrooms and fish from the local creek, but also hikes downtown in search of leftover food in the bins. And his visits to the town have become more regular recently

On top of one of the bridges, Petrovic built a pigeon loft which he, despite his advancing age, effortlessly climbs in order to stock them with pieces of bread he found while searching the bins

Serbian hermit Panta Petrovic, 70, scales a pole to reach his self made pigeon house in the southern Serbian city of Pirot