ABOUT TARO The true story of survivaL in the ice! Sakhalin huskies (also known as Karafuto ken), Taro and Jiro, rose to fame in 1959 after they were abandoned with 13 other dogs in Antarctica by a Japanese expedition team for almost a year yet survived. While seven of the dogs perished still chained at the campsite, Taro, Jiro and six other dogs managed to escape. The pair endured below-freezing temperatures and survived possibly on a diet of penguins and seals. Finally, in 1959, a new Japanese research team returned to Antarctica, astonished to discover Taro and Jiro still alive after 11 months. News of the surviving dogs reached Japan and they became symbols of perseverance and courage ultimately becoming known as "The Survivors."