Mummified Dog Found Inside A Tree Trunk

Oct. 7, 2023

 

Twenty-three years ago, a logging crew made a remarkable discovery when they felled a massive oak tree and uncovered a mummified dog trapped inside. The circumstances surrounding how the dog ended up there and why it didn't decompose are truly astonishing.

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Today, a portion of the tree, with the dog still inside, is held in a museum. The prevailing theory is that the dog had run away from its owner while in pursuit of an animal. In a daring attempt to follow the quarry, the dog managed to climb a staggering 28 feet up the oak tree but then became wedged.

 

It's a heartbreaking thought that even if the dog had barked and cried for help, it was too high and too deeply embedded in the tree for its owner to hear.

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For nearly two decades, the dog remained concealed within the tree until loggers stumbled upon this incredible find. What makes this story even more remarkable is that due to an upward draft of air within the hollow tree, the scent of the deceased dog was carried away.

 

This meant that insects and other decomposers, which typically feed on dead animals, never detected his presence. Additionally, chestnut oaks, like the one in which the dog was trapped, contain tannin, a natural drying agent. The low moisture levels inside the tree prevented microbial activity, thus preserving the dog.

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In 2002, after 22 years hidden within the tree, the dog was officially named Stucky. Today, he stands as a unique exhibit in a tree museum located in Georgia, USA.