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2 months ago
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More dogs have been seen climbing an Egyptian pyramid after a paraglider first spotted one standing atop the ancient wonder.
A new video shows three dogs trotting across the side of the pyramid about mid-way up. Their lively gates and wagging tails suggest they are safe and happy.
It comes after jaw-dropping footage captured by paraglider Alex Lang on October 14, as he soared above the Pyramid of Khafre when he noticed movement on its apex.
Zooming into the small flat space at the top of the brick structure, viewers were stunned to see that it was a dog roaming around.
Following the surprising find atop the ancient landmark, Lang said the pooch had been barking at the birds flying overhead when he spotted the animal.
On October 17, new footage showed the dog descending the pyramid, deftly racing down nearly 500 feet of limestone brings - that moment was caught on camera by a tour guide, Lauren Rathvon.
It's not yet clear whether this dog is one of the three in this new video, but if it is, it would appear he brought his friends to see the view.
A new video shows three dogs trotting across the side of the pyramid about mid-way up. Their lively gates and wagging tails suggest they are safe and happy
Upon seeing Lang's video, Ibrahim Elbendary, co-founder of the American Cairo Rescue Foundation, recognized the dog immediately.
It was Apollo, one of about eight dogs in a pack that lives on the Pyramid of Khafre’s upper reaches, the Washington Post reported.
Elbendary confirmed that Apollo was hunting birds atop the pyramid when Lang spotted him.
He and his pack-mates sneak up on crows and jump into the air to catch them - a dangerous feat when hundreds of feet above the ground.
Apollo, his siblings, and their pack mother Laika live among dozens of other stray dogs at the famed 4,500-year-old pyramid complex.
Most of these dogs stay close to the ground. But one day, Laika climbed to the top of Pyramid of Khafre, possibly because it was a safe place to give birth, Elbendary speculated.
Ever since, she and her pups have made the pyramid their home, scaling and descending it with ease.
They are cared for by animal welfare organizations like Elbendary's, which provides the strays with food, water and medical care and facilitates adoptions to the US.
The American Cairo Rescue Foundation also traps, vaccinates and spays or neuters the dogs, but Elbendary told the Washington Post that Apollo 'runs directly to the top of the pyramid when we try' and has evaded every attempt to capture him.
Apollo is about three years old, and seems to have no problem running up and down the pyramids' rough, steep terrain.
It's unclear whether the three dogs in this new video are Apollo and his pack-mates. But it's not unlikely, as this seems to be the only pack that regularly climbs the pyramid
Rathvon, the tour guide who captured the video of Apollo climbing back down the pyramid, said: 'I saw this dog climbing down the Great Pyramid in Giza like it was nothing!'
'It's just a hop, skip, and a jump for them.'
Whether the three dogs in this latest video are Apollo and his pack-mates has not been confirmed. But it's not unlikely, as this seems to be the only pack that regularly climbs the pyramid.
The estimated number of street dogs in Egypt varies, but some experts place the number as high as 15 million.
They bite roughly 200,000 people a year, according to the World Health Organization, which increases local risk of one of the world's most lethal diseases: rabies.
They are also widely stigmatized due to a famous Islamic saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad that warns angels won’t enter your home if there’s a dog inside.
But people like Elbendary are working to create a better life for these neglected animals.
He told the Washington Post that he was thrilled to see the video of Apollo go viral online, as it could generate more interest in Cairo’s street dogs and help encourage residents and authorities to care for them.
