On February 17th, a mountain located in Yichang City, Hubei Province, China, with an appearance resembling a small dog, sparked great interest among the Chinese internet users. Netizens affectionately called this small mountain “Little Dog Mountain” or “Doggy Mountain”. The news about it even made it to the top search on Baidu on February 19th.
Pictures circulating online show a mountain that looks remarkably like a small dog lying quietly by the river. The light colors of the rocks and green vegetation complement each other perfectly, with features resembling eyes and a nose very vividly portrayed. The eyes even seem to be closed, as if in a peaceful slumber.
After the photo was shared online, many netizens commented on it. Some compared the image of the mountain to a small dog’s profile, noting how the forehead and the muzzle curve were exactly the same.
One netizen named “寫佰B” said, “Indeed! Praising the magical work of nature!”
Another netizen “虹姑88” mentioned, “The world is not lacking in beauty, but in eyes that can discover it!”
The photo was taken by Mr. Guo, a local resident of Yichang, during the Chinese New Year period near Jiupanxi Bridge in Zigui County, Hubei Province.
On February 18th, he explained to Jiupai News that he took the photo of the “distant mountain resembling a small dog” on January 20th afternoon while heading to the starting point of a hiking trail.
He said, “The scenery along both banks of the Yangtze River is especially beautiful! At the time, I took many photos, and when I went back to organize them, I found that one corner of the mountain I captured looked like a dog’s head lying down. It was very magical and cute!”
He pointed out that a row of white signs looked like a dog’s teeth, and the dog’s pose seemed as if it was either drinking water or watching fish in the river, guarding the Yangtze.
Mr. Guo admitted that he did not expect this scenery to become so popular when he posted it on various social platforms.
Chief expert in scientific communication at the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and geotourism expert Li Zhongdong stated to Jiupai News that based on the photo, the “Little Dog Mountain” captured by Mr. Guo is a type of anthropomorphic rock formation. Considering the location of Zigui County, this area may have been formed by karst landforms due to the action of dissolution. “The eyes, eyebrows, and corners of the dog’s mouth appear to be cave exits, the white area between the forehead and nose could be a cliff formed by a collapse, and the parts resembling ears are mainly a visual effect caused by vegetation coverage,” Li Zhongdong explained.
After the photo went viral on the internet, “Doggy Mountain” became a new popular attraction in the area, with netizens sharing pictures taken from the same location.
However, local government authorities issued a reminder that “Doggy Mountain” is located in a remote and steep area, not officially developed as a tourist spot, and it is not recommended for inexperienced individuals to venture there.