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Dog found at summit of Kilimanjaro
Four climbers on Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro had a surprise waiting for them when they arrived at the summit of Africa's tallest mountain last week. After making the long, and sometimes arduous, trek to the top, they were surprised to find a dog had arrived before them.Antoine le Galloudec, Kristina Meese, Irina Manoliv and Monique Indino were climbing with a local tour company, when they approached the top of the mountain, known as Uhuru Peak. Galloudec said that he needed to heed the call of nature and stepped off to the side of the trail to take care of business. He was shocked to find the dog lying on a rock no more than a meter away.
The group was careful not to disturb the adventurous pooch, choosing to instead snap a couple of photos using a cell phone. When they later showed those photos to one of their guides, he told them that the same dog had been spotted at one of Kili's lower camps ten years ago. Why the dog is still on the mountain, and how it has survived so long, remains a mystery.
High winds and cold temperatures are a common occurrence on Kilimanjaro, although it is the thin air that is usually the most difficult condition for people, and animals, to adapt to. If this really is the same dog that was spotted on the mountain a decade ago, he has probably become quite acclimated to life at altitude. Finding food is most likely a bigger challenge, although while I was there a few years back, there were plenty of small rodents, even high up, and I'm guessing the dog could find scraps left behind at some of the camps as well.
Climbing Kilimanjaro is one of the top treks in the world, and while there are no technical requirements for completing the climb, it is physical demanding to say the least. The hike to the summit generally takes about 5-6 days, and the view of the surrounding landscape is spectacular, however. I'd recommend the climb to anyone looking for a challenging adventure, but be sure to cap the experience with a Serengeti safari afterwards.
Filed under: Climbing, Hiking, Africa, Tanzania, Ecotourism, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jean humphreys Sep 3rd 2011 8:53AM
I would take the dog home with me, just in case it wasn't thriving. Would at least have checked it out.
Kraig Sep 3rd 2011 8:54AM
Jean: There were concerns over the dog being feral and possibly carrying disease. It's not an easy risk to take anywhere, let alone Africa.
CanWeBeSure Sep 3rd 2011 10:06AM
Fido, I have been looking all over for you. Why dd you leave home? Okay, you can sleep on any sofa or chair you want..............yes alright in the bed too. Which brand of food? Fine, less dry and more canned........
frankerin Sep 3rd 2011 12:58PM
Is there no limit to the goodie two shoes approach to animals. Even in foreign countries, in the wild, entirely outside any claim to jurisdiction, this and other people feel they have a right to decide whether animals are safe or wel,l well beyond their concern or abilities. Does she think the predators are mean and shouldn't take the ruminants.?
jean humphreys Sep 3rd 2011 9:03AM
You are right, of course. My love of dogs got in the way of common sense.
Kraig Sep 3rd 2011 9:07AM
I understand. I want to take every stray home with me too! :)
hhenry Sep 3rd 2011 9:24AM
No pictures? Is this story true?
DJ Sep 3rd 2011 9:44AM
According to Hemingway, it was a leopard found at the summit.
Lora Sep 3rd 2011 9:55AM
I'm sure that some humane group could go up there with the proper equipment and a carrier to get the dog and bring it down without risking themselves. Once it was checked out a home could be found. Surviving is not the same as thriving or being comfortable. There must be times when that poor animal is hungry and cold. I can't believe no one has tried to rescue it.
Stefan Sep 3rd 2011 2:12PM
Why is that that everyone in the western world feels that everytime they see an animal, That it needs to be rescued? Would you rescue an elephant walking through Africa? Jeesh people, Animals have been living on this planet long before we selfishly decided that we should domesticate them.. Leave them alone.. After 10 years on that mountain, this dog is obviously doing fine without somebody feeling the need to stick their noses into its business.. Maybe next time your are out shopping at the mall and sit on the bench to rest for a minute, somebody will trap you and rehabitate you to the life they think you should live.
CandyAzzBB Sep 3rd 2011 10:17AM
why not leave it alone maybe its happy where it is and free.
aj Sep 3rd 2011 10:46AM
where's the photo?
Linda Sep 3rd 2011 11:23AM
Please leave the dog alone. It takes people about 5-6 days to reach the summit so who is to say the dog isn't coming and going as he/she sees fit. And thanks for the reporting with no picture. Sure lends credibility to the story.
Conrad Shagwell Sep 3rd 2011 11:30AM
Even the dog knows that Alabama is beginning another march towards the National Championship. Roll Tide.
Kraig Sep 3rd 2011 12:07PM
Photos weren't available at the time the story was written, but here's a link to one now: http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/Rare+sight+as+dog+spotted+on+mountain+top/-/1066/1227708/-/uw5bui/-/index.html
And those saying that the dog should be rescued should realize that This Is Africa (TIA). East Africa is in the midst of a terrible drought and famine, and a lot of people are just getting by. They don't have the resources and means to rescue stray dogs and cats in the same way that we do living in the first world.
S. Brown Sep 3rd 2011 2:20PM
Thanks for the pic link. It was very disappointing to not see one in the article any where.
leee Sep 4th 2011 10:45AM
Then don't report it till you have everything you need for the story. Very low step.
Lassie Sep 3rd 2011 2:14PM
Maybe the dog is up there to avoid being eaten by the hungry Africans.
Ross Sep 3rd 2011 3:06PM
Maybe the dog was tired of being teased to the point of never geting "the bacon kind" and left home.
Benjamin Brown Sep 3rd 2011 3:48PM
The dog is actually god. We've known all along that d-o-g is g-o-d spelled backward, encoded as such to protect this hidden knowledge from the profane.