Famous Animals That Made History
In addition to the functions that they fulfill in the respective ecosystems, animals play an important role in society. They were used as food or clothing, but they were also valued as companions, guides, rescuers, and scientific testers. There are also some famous animals that made history.
The different species are waste recyclers, pollinators and biological guards. In addition, they are the most important source of food for humans, which is why targeted reproduction is encouraged. This is also the case in the textile and shoe industry. But what about those who have left their mark on human history?
Although it is ignored or little talked about having famous animals with their exploits influenced the course of history crucial.
Everyone remembers Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, but who remembers Laika, the first space animal? Do we remember the exploits of the pigeons during the First World War?
Famous animals that made history
Effort and courage are two qualities that make humans stand out, but there are also many animals that made history. Next, you will meet some famous animals, made famous through their heroic actions and contributions.
Laika
She had no training but was a stray dog in the streets of Moscow. Even so, she was chosen to board a spaceship. The second Sputnik was sent into space by the Soviet Union on November 3, 1957, and carried them in a small cabin.
What was so special about it? She was the first living being to make a space flight, unfortunately with no return. The implanted devices for recording breathing, pulse and blood pressure confirmed the collapse of Laika due to possible overheating of the body. Her cabin never separated from the rocket, and when it entered space it overheated.
Laika went down in history just like the mixed breed dogs Belka (squirrel) and Strelka (little arrow) in 1960. Both flew into space with Sputnik 5 and were able to survive.
They traveled with some rodents, plants, and a human skin sample; they circled the earth for a day and returned safe and sound.
Laika, Belka and Strelka tested the spaceships sent into space for their suitability to be manned. Laika couldn’t withstand more than a couple of hours because of the malfunctions in the system, but the spaceship stayed for six months until it self-destructed.
Dolly
Dolly the sheep was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. It was born on July 5, 1996, after several attempts by scientists to combine egg cells with nuclei from udder cells. The birth of Dolly in Scotland represented great progress; she has drawn the world’s eyes to animal cloning.
Individuals had been created by cloning long before, but these were created from embryonic cells. Dolly showed that a whole organism can develop from the DNA of adult cells. This lamb of the Finn-Dorset breed was the only one born after 277 attempts and kept secret for months.
Dolly grew up under scientific supervision, mated and had very normal offspring.
However, she had to be euthanized at the age of six and a half because of pulmonary adenomatosis . Her early aging may have been due to the fact that she came from the nucleus of a 6 year old sheep.
Cher Ami
Doves are a symbol of peace and purity, especially the white ones. Cher Ami, however, was remembered for something more than her color: her service as a messenger. During the First World War , she informed the American army of the danger to which part of the battalion was exposed.
In the Battle of Verdun, the wounded pigeon delivered a total of 12 important messages. The last, with its leg already amputated, reported the enemy’s position vis-à-vis the Americans. The news made the defense possible and saved the lives of 194 men.
Cheeta
The chimpanzee immortalized by his role in the Tarzan films was also the oldest in the world. The Guinness Book of Records recorded him when he was 79 years old. He died of kidney failure when he was about 80 years old; this animal was a movie icon in the 30s and 40s.
Cheeta wasn’t really female and actually called herself Jiggs. The film industry made him Tarzan’s best friend. He died at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor, Florida, where much evidence of affection was received.
These are just a few famous animals, but the list goes on. It would be worth looking at Cairo, the dog who made it possible to capture bin Laden, Jim the horse who helped produce the diphtheria vaccine, or Free Willy’s killer whale Keiko.
