The Harry Potter Compendium
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The Nundu is a giant mammal similar to a leopard that is native to East Africa. It moves silently, despite its "gigantic" size, and is considered by some to be the most dangerous creature alive. The breath of the Nundu is toxic and filled with disease. This alone can wipe out entire villages of people. The Nundu is extremely hard to subdue, and has never been defeated by less than around one hundred wizards working together. Compared to the dragons used in the Triwizard Tournament, which were stunned into submission by around ten wizards, the prospect of this rare beast becomes truly terrifying.

Eldon Elsrickle owned a Nundu, which he received as a cub during a voyage to Africa to evade capture for a series of robberies he had committed. He used this Nundu to protect his home and the large treasure he had accumulated inside it from robbing other London residents with his newly-learned Unlocking Charm, keeping it subdued with a daily Stunning Spell when he was home, and reviving it when he left. One day, however, when he found that all the houses in the village were protected by a new Anti-Alohomora Charm invented by Blagdon Blay, he was so infuriated upon returning home that he neglected to Stun his Nundu, and was swiftly killed by the beast.

Behind the scenes[]

  • According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Nundu has never been subdued by less than one hundred wizards working in tandem. Yet, Eldon Elsrickle kept his Nundu easily contained with a single daily Stunning Spell. One possible explanation, however, is that his Nundu, large though it was, was still not full-sized, or that, perhaps the Nundu had been weakened by its daily Stunning ever since it was a cub. It could also mean Eldon was a particularly powerful wizard that he could stun the Nundu singlehandedly.

Appearances[]


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