Animals and humans have always shared a special bond. We’ve always relied on animals for food, protection, transportation, and company. Over the past two centuries, many animals have even left their mark on history’s course. Let’s take a look at the top 20 world-famous animals.
Heidi The Opossum
Heidi the cross-eyed opossum was raised at a wild animal sanctuary in North Carolina before being placed at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany in 2011.
Heidi’s eye condition wasn’t harmful to her health. However, it did make her vulnerable in the wild. At the zoo’s tropical wildlife exhibit, living alongside two other opossums, Heidi was safe.
A Cross-Eyed Sensation
When photographs of Heidi were posted on the Internet, she swiftly became a sensation. A popular YouTube song was written about her, a line of stuffed animals was created, and she quickly gained over 300,000 followers on Facebook.
The cute cross-eyed opossum was even the star of a segment on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where she predicted the winners of three Oscar categories. Sadly, on September 28, 2011, Heidi had closed her eyes forever.
Bobbie The Wonder Dog
Bobbie was a two-year-old Scotch Collie/English Shepard mix when he traveled with his family from Oregon to Indiana in 1923. During the trip, Bobbie got lost.
The family was beside themselves and began a search. When they realized they wouldn’t find him, they were forced to return home to Oregon.
There’s No Place Like Home
But our Bobbie is no ordinary dog. He started an unbelievable voyage across huge plains, deserts, and mountains. And in February 1924, six months after he was lost, Bobbie appeared on the doorstep of his family’s home.
Bobbie the wonder dog had crossed over 2,551 miles across the United States to return home. When word got around about this remarkable feat, Bobbie became famous and appeared in articles, books, and even a film.
Oliver The Chimp
Frank and Janet Berger bought Oliver in the 1960s. He was raised in their home and had humanlike characteristics. He walked up straight and had a flatter, balder face than his fellow common chimps.
He was later sold and displayed in a theme park in California in a show that labeled him a human-ape hybrid. After being featured in an LA Times article, scientists became curious and took him in for testing at a scientific facility.
A Genetic Abnormality?
A geneticist from the University of Chicago tested Oliver’s DNA and determined that he was a perfectly normal and healthy chimpanzee. His bizarre looks were said to fall within the range of variability of the common chimpanzee species.
Oliver lived to a relatively old age - he died peacefully on June 2, 2012, at the age of 55. Oliver became the subject of a Discovery Channel documentary in 2006. The character of Caesar in the 2011 movie Rise of the Planet of the Apes was based on him.
Smoky
An American soldier found this tiny dog in an abandoned foxhole in the New Guinea Jungle. Smoky was a Yorkshire terrier, a breed originally developed to catch rats in clothing mills. She was only 7 inches tall and weighed merely 4 pounds.
The 5th Air Force adopted smoky, and she participated in multiple rescue and photo reconnaissance missions. She survived 150 air raids and even made it through a typhoon in Japan. Her biggest contribution to the allied forces was her keen hearing and sense for danger. She would warn soldiers of incoming fire and save countless lives.
A Brave Soldier
Smoky made national headlines when, in 1944, she helped run a telegraph wire through a 70-foot-long pipe that was 8 inches in diameter. She was also the first ever war therapy dog, according to an Animal Planet report.
At the end of World War II, this military marvel of a dog was smuggled back to the United States. She quickly became a national celebrity, and even performed her skills for crowds. One of her famous tricks was walking a tightrope while blindfolded. Smoky died unexpectedly at the age of 14 on February 21, 1957.
Fido
During World War II, many pets were displaced or abandoned as their families were killed or on the run. One of the most famous street dogs is the Italian dog Fido. Carlo Soriani, a brick worker from Borgo San Lorenzo, found Fido on his way home from the bus stop in November 1941.
Carlo Soriani nursed the abandoned Fido back to health and took him in as his own. After the dog recovered, he accompanied Soriani to the bus stop every single day and would watch him get on the bus. When Soriani came back from work, Fido would always wait for him at the bus stop and would greet him with joy.
Famous Faithfulness
This went on for two years until the allies bombarded Borgo San Lorenzo and the attack killed Carlo Soriani, among others. Despite his owner’s death, Fido continued to visit the bus stop every single day for over fourteen years.
Fido became a media sensation in Italy, symbolizing extreme fidelity. On June 9, 1958, Fido died while waiting for his master. Many Italian newspapers covered this remarkable pet’s life and death.
Gua
Gua the chimpanzee born in Havana, Cuba in 1930. She was donated to the Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center in Florida before being enrolled in a cross-rearing study. During this study, she was taken to the home of scientists Winthrop and Luella Kellogg.
The goal of the experiment was to give the chimp the same environmental advantages as the Kelloggs’ son Donald and then compare the growth of the two. Surprisingly, throughout the 9 months of the experiment, Gua tested ahead of Donald in many fields.
Helping Science
A significant difference in development was their perception of human recognition. While Donald recognized people by their faces, Gua recognized them by their smell.
By the age of 16 months, Donald began talking while Gua couldn’t. The experiment was stopped around this time and Gua returned to the primate center in Florida. She died on December 21, 1933. Sadly, Donald Kellogg committed suicide in 1972.
Shrek
Shrek was a Merino male sheep born in New Zealand in 1994. In 1998, Shrek decided to leave his home, the Bendigo Station, and enter the high country of Central Otago. Shrek survived on very little for over six years. Shrek was found in 2004, hiding in a rock cave near the Bendigo high Country.
Since Shrek wasn’t sheared for six years, he was practically unrecognizable. His body was covered by a thick layer of wool, enough to make 20 different suits.
A Sheepish Celebrity
Shrek quickly became a major celebrity and national icon. He even met New Zealand’s Prime Minister. His shearing was broadcast live on national television. 60 pounds of wool were cut from his body. It took a professional shearer over 20 minutes to complete the job.
The sheep’s fleece was auctioned off and the money was donated to children’s medical charities. Shrek raised over $150,000 in total. He became a beloved national hero.
Congo
Congo the chimpanzee was a prolific artist. He was born in 1954 and created more than 400 paintings between the ages of 2 and 4. Among his great fans were Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.
Congo’s art is considered part of the abstract impressionism movement. His innate understanding of color balance and technique was remarkable.
A Temperamental Artist
The chimpanzee would apparently throw a fit if his art was taken away before he considered it complete. And if he thought one of his pieces was complete, he would refuse to work on it any further.
Three of Congo’s paintings were featured in an auction alongside works by Warhol and Renoir. They sold for over US$26,000. He is considered the world’s most successful animal artist to this day.
Wheely Willy
Wheely Willy the Chihuahua was born in Long Beach, California in 1991. After his owner abused him, he was found in a cardboard box with brutal injuries.
Deborah Turner, a groomer, adopted Willy and did everything she could to make him healthy and happy. Since Willy had spinal injuries, he had to be attached to a K-9 Cart so he could move around with ease.
A Chihuahua On Wheels
Wheely Willy soon became an icon for people with physical disabilities. He traveled the world and visited hospitals to make children feel better and promote kindness and understanding.
Willy even became the subject of 2 successful children’s books. His cheerful demeanor was an inspiration to everyone around him. Unfortunately, Willy died from injuries in 2009 when he was 18 years old.
Unsinkable Sam
This is the incredible story of one resilient cat. In May 1941, British naval forces attacked a German battleship called Bismarck. As a result, the ship sank. Out of 2,200 German soldiers, only 115 people and 1 cat survived.
Unsinkable Sam, the surviving cat, had black and white fur. The British destroyer HMS Cossack discovered him floating on a board.
The Navy’s Pet
Sam remained on the HMS Cossack and became the crew’s beloved pet. He was a friendly cat and provided everyone with moral support. But then, in October 1941, the German submarine U-563 attacked the Cossack.
Sam survived again and arrived at Gibraltar’s shoreline. He was then transferred to the Ark Royal and survived yet another sinking event! Unsinkable Sam eventually retired his naval career and returned to the UK.
Jim The Wonder Dog
Jim was born in Louisiana in 1925. He was a Llewellin Setter, an English hunting breed. Jim proved to be an outstanding hunt dog from a young age and was even featured on Outdoor Life Magazine. He had some special abilities indeed.
Jim’s world-famous abilities included locating a car by color, make, and license number. He could also pick out people from a crowd based on descriptions such as “the man that takes care of sick people”.
A Psychic Dog
Jim’s powers didn’t stop there – he also appeared to be somewhat of a psychic. He could guess the sex of an unborn baby, and he picked the winner of the Kentucky Derby no less than seven years in a row.
He even predicted the Yankee victory in the 1936 World Series. Scientists were amazed. He was taken to the School of Veterinary Medicine to be studied. Dr. A. J. Durant determined that the dog “possessed an occult power that might never come again to a dog in many generations.”
Balto
On the southern Seward Peninsula of Alaska is a city called Nome. In 1924, an epidemic of a serious respiratory tract illness broke out there. At the time, the only doctor in the city was Curtis Welch. He ordered a new shipment of medicine, but it did not make it in time before the port closed off for the winter.
Without the medicine, the Nome’s population was at serious risk. And so, sled dog teams led a monumental effort to fetch the medication. They faced blizzards and extreme temperatures.
Heroic Mission
Both the mushers and their dogs were considered heroes, and the most famous among them was Balto, a Siberian husky that saved his team in the Topkok River.
Balto became one of the most famous dogs in the world in the 1920s, and his achievement was honored with a statue of the dog in New York City’s Central Park.
Betsy
Many people consider Border Collies to be the smartest dogs in the world. But one particular Border Collie named Betsy is most likely the smartest animal in history.
Betsy was able to sit on command and fetch objects by name at the tender age of 10 weeks. She also has the ability to find an object after only being shown an image, which shows higher intelligence than displayed by great apes.
An Evolutionary Marvel
She can even identify 15 separate people by their names. Betsy’s understanding of human forms of communication seems to be an incredible feat of evolution.
The centuries-old association between humans and dogs have advanced similar communication and intelligence. Now that’s something.
Sergeant Stubby
Stubby was an American dog war used in World War I. In fact, he was the first dog to be used by the military and the only one to be promoted to sergeant through combat.
Stubby was a small Pit Bull who showed up at Yale Field where a group of soldiers were training. He quickly became Corporal Robert Conroy’s friend and when Conroy was sent to France, Stubby joined.
Sir, Yes, Sir!
He served in the trenches of France for over 18 months and participated in many battles along with the 102nd infantry.
On many occasions, Sergeant Stubby saved the lives of soldiers by warning them of incoming mustard gas and artillery attacks. He was even responsible for the discovery and capture of a German spy in the Argonne!
Huberta
Huberta is a famous South African hippopotamus, who, in 1928, lived near a Zululand waterhole. She captured the public attention when she suddenly began a three-year trek to the eastern cape of Africa.
Huberta was followed by a curious journalist who documented her brave journey. She ate her way through parks, gardens, and farms, crossed roads, railroads, and towns.
A Tragic Ending
Eventually, she settled at the Mhlanga River for a rest of several weeks. Due to her fame, attempts were made to capture her and bring her to the Johannesburg Zoo, but the attempt failed and she kept going.
But Huberta’s story ends tragically with her being shot and killed by a group of hunters near East London, South Africa. The men were fined for the crime and Huberta’s body was sent to a British taxidermist and returned to South Africa in a much-publicized event.
Endal
Dogs continue to baffle us with their exceptional intelligence. Endal was a yellow Labrador Retriever, who was fully trained as an operational assistance dog.
Endal was able to shop, operate electrical switches, work a washing machine and use an ATM. He understood and responded to hundreds of instructions and signed commands.
Saving His Owner’s Life
Endal became a service dog for a Royal Navy veteran called Allen Parton, who had suffered serious injuries during the Gulf War. One day, Parton was knocked out of his wheelchair by a passing car and left unconscious.
Endal saved Parton’s life by pulling him into a recovery position, fetching his mobile phone and barking for help. Endal is the most decorated dog in the world, with awards such as “Dog of the Millenium” and the PDSA’s Gold Medal for Animal Gallantry.
Lonesome George
This is the story of a turtle of the Pinta Island subspecies of Galapagos. Sadly, almost all of the turtles of this sort were wiped out due to hunting by 1900s, and it was even assumed they went extinct.
Until one day in 1971, Lonesome George was discovered on Pinta Island. He was relocated to the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island for his own safety.
Rare Creature
Attempts were made to find him a mate and save the subspecies, to no avail. Researchers even offered a $10,000 reward for a suitable mate at one point.
During his life, Lonesome George was considered one of the rarest creatures in the world. He died at the relatively young age of around 100. While his particular subspecies went extinct, there are still some 20,000 giant tortoises of other sorts living and thriving on the Galapagos.
Cher Ami
Pigeons are famously skilled military messengers due to their ability, speed, and flying altitude. One particularly well-known pigeon is Cher Ami.
Cher Ami was sent by U.S. Captain Charles Whittlesey and more than 500 men who became trapped in the forest of Argonne behind enemy lines.
Valliant Pigeon
The pigeon carried a message that read “We are along the road parallel to 276.4. Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it!”
Cher Ami was shot down by enemy troops, lost his leg and was blinded in one eye. But he carried on and delivered the note. As a result, the soldiers were rescued, and the bird became the hero of the 77th infantry division. What a brave bird.
Xiang Xiang
Pandas have become the symbol of animals facing extinction. While pandas in captivity have recovered somewhat due to successful breeding programs, the wild panda populations exist in staggeringly low numbers.
The problem is, pandas that have been bred in captivity cannot simply be released into the wild, they simply wouldn’t survive. At least, that was the case until in 2006, a panda named Xiang Xiang became the first giant panda to be returned into the wild.
Into The Wild
Xiang Xiang completed a three-year training program in order to learn the necessary skills to survive in the wild. After that, he was released into a nearby forest, equipped with a radio collar to track his location.
Sadly, Xiang Xiang was found dead less than a year after being sent into the wild. Apparently, he fell from a tree after fighting for territory or over a female mate with other male pandas. Although Xiang Xiang’s story ended tragically, scientists are training another giant panda called Tao Tao, and are hoping their revised training plan will help ensure his survival.
Marjan
Marjan the lion was the star of Afghanistan’s Kabul Zoo. In 1978, he was given to the zoo by a group from Germany. He resided at the zoo for 23 years and lived through intense conflict, a revolution, a USSR invasion, and a bloody civil war. Of course, the zoo wasn’t immune to the chaos and was shelled multiple times.
