In Alaska, a one-year-old dog survived a remarkable 150-mile journey across frozen Bering Sea ice, reported The Guardian.
Named Nanuq—the Siberian Yusik word for polar bear—the dog lives with his owner, Mandy Iworrigan, in Gambell, Alaska. A black and white Australian Shepherd, Nanuq went missing last month while visiting Savoonga, another nearby community. At the time, he was with Iworrigan and their other family dog, Starlight. Notably, both dogs went missing at the same time. While Starlight was found a few weeks later, Nanuq remained unfound.
A lost dog stranded in Alaska for almost a month
Almost a month later, people in the town of Wales began posting pictures online of what they described as a lost dog. Iworrigan saw the pictures and realized it was her wandering hound. Incredibly, Nanuq had made his way 150 miles northeast of Savoonga on Alaska’s western coast.
To get Nanuq back to Gambell, Iworrigan used airline points to get him on a regional air carrier. Specifically, Nanuq was put on a charter flight transporting athletes for the Bering Strait school district’s Native Youth Olympics tournament. When the plane landed at the airstrip in Savoonga, both Iworrigan and her daughter Brooklyn began shrieking with joy.
Unfortunately, Nanuq arrived with a swollen leg and some large bite marks. Although the animal responsible remains unidentified, it may have been a seal or polar bear. Otherwise, Nanuq was in pretty good health, all things considered.
Interestingly, the question now is just how Nanuq survived for a month floating on sea ice. For her part, Iworrigan believes he probably ate seal leftovers along with probably catching a few birds. However, Iworrigan said she wouldn’t put it past Nanuq to have caught a seal during his voyage. “He eats our Native foods,” she said. “He’s smart.”
Don’t risk losing your dog
Thankfully, new technology has made it far easier to find a lost dog. Although Nanuq’s circumstances are very extraordinary, most dog owners can avoid a similar scenario by microchipping their pets. Additionally, there are some basic dos and don’ts dog owners should follow if they happen to lose their pets.
Ultimately, Nanuq’s journey will likely always be a mystery. But his survival and eventual safe return home have captivated the local community and people around the world. And more importantly, he made one lucky dog owner very, very happy.
