Mountain Dog – by Sheila

Jae’s boys – and indeed husband David – have pressured Jae for years to allow them to have a dog, and to date she has managed to resist the pressure. All the boys love dogs, but Jae is not convinced that they would show the commitment necessary to look after a dog properly, particularly in light of their involvement with their various football teams and the amount of time devoted to that sport.

However, it seems that Oscar may have a chance of meeting up with a four footed friend on Kilimanjaro. It seems that a rust-coloured dog has been seen on the mountain a few times in recent years.

A couple of years ago four climbers had a surprise waiting for them when they approached the top of the mountain, known as Uhuru Peak. Antoine Galloudec said that he needed to heed the call of nature and stepped off to the side of the trail. 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 mobile 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.

Dog spotted at the top of Kilimanjaro
Dog spotted at the top of Kilimanjaro

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 acclimatised to life at altitude. Finding food is most likely a bigger challenge; there are plenty of small rodents, even high up, and perhaps the dog could find scraps left behind at some of the camps as well.

Four striped grass mouse  - they scamper everywhere in the camps!
Four striped grass mouse – they scamper everywhere in the camps!

The sighting has baffled animal scientists who have questioned what motivated the dog to scale such heights and how he could have survived without a proper food source on the desert-like, stony plains of the volcanic mountain. One veterinary expert suggested that the dog might be rabid – one explanation for his mountaineering inclination – and warned other climbers to keep a safe distance.

The part of the mountain where the dog was found is so high that the temperatures usually remain below freezing and climbers are warned about the severe effects of altitude sickness.

Dog who lives on Vesuvius
Dog who lives on Vesuvius

It would be really exciting for Oscar and the other youngsters on the trip to meet up with a (hopefully, non-rabid) mountain dog. Jae and I had the pleasure of following a dog up Vesuvius earlier this year (see blog post 2nd May) and my sister-in-law Mary (5th July) describes being led on a walk by two beautiful dogs. It would be a real excitement for us all to meet up with such a hardy animal on the mountain – especially one who would take responsibility for consuming any rodents which might be in the vicinity! I really do not want to encounter any rats or mice in my tent.