Buzz
Napoleon Bonaparte famously declared, "History is written by the winners." Yet, it's also written by us humans, and that helps explain why many other species are often overlooked. The truth is, numerous animals have made significant contributions to human history. Some of them were anonymous, while others became global icons. Whether well-known or unknown, these animals—whether they swim, fly, or crawl—have played roles as pioneers, warriors, teachers, outlaws, and heroes. Some of them have even earned their place in the annals of history.
10. The Church Of England's Canine Connection
King Henry VIII of England was desperate for a male heir. He had six children with his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, but only one, Princess Mary, survived. Henry believed that because Catherine had once been married to his late brother Arthur—who had died from the 'sweating sickness' shortly after their wedding—their marriage was cursed. In his mind, this curse prevented them from having a living son. However, whether or not Henry truly believed in curses, he was already infatuated with Anne Boleyn, who he desired both as queen and mother to a male heir. As a result, Catherine had to be cast aside.
In 1527, Henry dispatched a delegation to Rome to explain to Pope Clement the matters of sin, curse, and the divine necessity for him to annul his marriage. Among the team was one of his most skilled diplomats, Thomas Boleyn, the Earl of Wiltshire, and also Anne's father.
However, according to Foxe's Book of Martyrs, the encounter between the Earl of Wiltshire and the Pope turned into a major debacle. The trouble started when Pope Clement extended his bare toe for the Earl to kiss—an outdated tradition. The Earl’s spaniel, either out of loyalty or hunger, bit the Pope's toe, prompting the Pope to attempt to kick the dog away.
At this moment, Boleyn declared the bitten toe to be impure and refused to kiss it, which only worsened Henry's case with the Vatican. The Pope, who had no desire to antagonize Queen Catherine’s influential European relatives, refused to grant the annulment. Henry and Catherine remained married, at least in the eyes of the Church.
Eventually, Henry found another way to achieve his desires. He proclaimed himself the supreme head of the Church of England. Clergymen who valued their lives turned their allegiance to Henry, abandoning Pope Clement and legitimizing the annulment. Thanks to a nip from the Earl of Wiltshire’s dog, the Protestant Church of England was born.
9. Montauciel Takes Flight for the First Time
In the late 1700s, one pressing question occupied the minds of scientists: could humans survive flight at high altitudes as birds do? This was a hot topic after hot air balloon demonstrations proved that these reliable machines could safely carry passengers into the sky and return them to earth. In 1783, King Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette, oversaw a large crowd at Versailles for a “manned” hot air balloon demonstration. The balloon's passengers were a duck, a rooster, and a sheep named Montauciel. These three animals would go down in history as the first aeronauts.
The duck was included as a control subject, as it was already accustomed to high altitudes. The rooster was chosen because it was a bird unaccustomed to such heights. The real focus of the experiment, however, was Montauciel, who, in the scientists' view, had biological needs similar to those of humans. The belief was that if Montauciel could survive the flight, humans could likely do so too.
The balloon was an elegant sight, sky blue with golden royal insignias and zodiac signs adorning it. Even more impressive, it was functional. It flew about 1.5 kilometers (2 miles) and reached a height of around 450 meters (1,500 feet) before descending. When the crowd reached Montauciel, they found him calmly munching on grass. Initially, there was concern over the rooster, who had a broken wing, but witnesses later revealed that Montauciel had kicked the rooster before takeoff. The experiment was a success, and as Montauciel grazed, he helped pave the way for the first human balloon flight.
8. A Fishy Triumph
Sometimes, it’s the humble, unrecognized soldier whose sacrifice wins the day. This was the case in 1801 at the Battle of Copenhagen—except this time, the unknown soldier was a fish.
The Battle of Copenhagen was a naval clash between Britain and Denmark, part of Britain’s campaign to curb Napoleon’s rise through a naval blockade of France. Denmark, having aligned with other nations in a ‘League of Armed Neutrality,’ insisted on free trade with France. Britain, determined to maintain its blockade, decided to break up the League, starting with Denmark.
A fleet was sent to the region under the command of Admiral Hyde Parker, who was instructed to use force against the Danes if a peaceful agreement couldn’t be reached. However, the 60-year-old Parker was a cautious man, recently married to an 18-year-old, and was reluctant to go to war. His second-in-command, Admiral Horatio Nelson, was eager to strike before the Danes built up their navy beyond the point where victory would be possible.
Hyde, however, didn’t trust Nelson’s aggressive approach. He disregarded any suggestions from Nelson and deliberately excluded him from any planning or negotiations. That is, until a turbot (a large European flatfish) came to the rescue. One stormy night, while passing through ‘Dogger Bank,’ Nelson and his crew decided to fish in an area known for producing much tastier turbot than those off the English coast. The crew caught a large, appetizing turbot, and Nelson insisted that the fish be immediately sent to Admiral Hyde, who ‘enjoyed his luxuries.’
Obviously, Nelson was hoping that the turbot would impress Hyde enough to mend their relationship, and fortunately for the British, the fish succeeded in its mission. With the favor of Hyde, Nelson gained the ability to influence the course of events, which earned him a squadron of his own ships. This was just what he needed to launch—and ultimately win—the Battle of Copenhagen. However, as his friend Lieutenant Layman later remarked, “Your lordship…gained the victory by a turbot.”
7. This Little Piggy’s War
The Pig War began when a hungry British black boar helped itself to a banquet of potatoes from an American farmer on the San Juan Islands, located in the Puget Sound of the Pacific Northwest. The San Juan Islands were rich in beauty and natural resources, but tensions were already running high among their residents—as the unfortunate pig quickly discovered.
The 1846 Treaty of Oregon, which defined the Northwest border between the United States and Canada, stated that the border ran through 'the middle of the channel' separating the US mainland from Canada’s Vancouver Island. The issue arose because there were actually two channels, and the San Juan Islands were situated right in the middle of them. Both the United States and Britain claimed that the treaty granted them ownership of the islands. Britain’s Hudson’s Bay Company established a large sheep farm to assert its claim, while American settlers set up small farms.
Lyman Cutlar, an American settler, built a cabin and cultivated a large potato field on his homestead. However, the Hudson’s Bay Company considered Cutlar’s farm to be part of their sheep pasture. Cutlar, on the other hand, viewed the British and their livestock as trespassing on his land. On June 15, 1859, when Cutlar found a Hudson’s Bay pig digging up his potatoes, he grabbed his rifle and shot it, igniting a war.
Furious British officials threatened to arrest Cutlar and remove all American settlers from the islands. Equally outraged Americans called for military protection, which came in the form of 60 United States infantrymen led by Captain George Pickett, who would later become known as a Confederate General. Upon the arrival of American forces, the Governor of Vancouver dispatched gunboats and Royal Marines to intimidate them, but Captain Pickett stood his ground and requested reinforcements, which included cannons. In turn, the British gathered more ships and marines.
Throughout the summer, both sides staged military drills to flaunt their firepower, hoping to impress the influx of tourists. The standoff persisted until word reached President James Buchanan, who decided against going to war over a pig’s death. Instead, he sent a negotiator to the San Juans, leading to the withdrawal of most troops on both sides. The islands remained under joint military occupation until 1872, when an international arbitration committee awarded the territory to the United States.
Today, the Pig War is viewed as a warning of how quickly tempers can spark conflicts, and how diplomacy can pave the way for lasting peace. Sadly, the peace came too late for the war’s only casualty—the black boar. Nevertheless, the pig still stands as the unlikely star of one of the most famous ‘almost’ wars in the history of the Northwest.
6. Jim’s Lessons
During that time, diphtheria was a deadly disease that particularly affected children between the ages of 2 and 14. While it was a lethal illness for humans, most horses could survive it without significant trouble. After being injected with diphtheria toxins, horses like Jim produced antibodies, turning their blood into a serum that could save the lives of those suffering from diphtheria.
Over the course of three years, Jim produced more than 30 quarts of serum, saving countless lives. However, in 1901, Jim contracted tetanus and had to be put down. Tragically, 13 children died of tetanus after being injected with Jim’s infected blood, which had been sold without proper testing or inspection.
The devastating consequences of Jim’s infected blood played a major role in the passage of the 1902 Biologics Control Act. This law granted the government authority over the licensing of vaccines, antitoxins, and all biological products, ushering in a new era of modern medicine. Today, things like government regulations, laboratory inspections, qualified scientists overseeing production, and even expiration dates on product labels are all results of the Biologics Control Act.
6. Jim’s Lessons
More than a century later, Jim's legacy continues to resonate in public health circles. A clinical trials manual published in 2011 by the Duke Research Institute bears the subtitle Lessons From A Horse Named Jim as a reminder of his significant impact.
5. Elsa Goes Wild
In 1956, George Adamson, the Senior Game Warden of Kenya’s Northern Frontier District, found himself under attack by a lioness. He shot her in self-defense but soon realized that she was a mother protecting her three cubs. Afterward, George took the orphaned cubs home so that he and his wife, Joy, could raise them until they were ready for a zoo.
Two of the cubs were eventually placed in zoos, but Joy could not bear to part with the one she named Elsa. At the time, the idea of raising a lion as a companion seemed impossible, as lions were typically seen as ruthless predators. Despite understanding Elsa’s natural instinct to hunt, the Adamsons grew fond of her affectionate nature. Elsa became a beloved member of their family, devoted to them in return.
By the time Elsa turned three, she had grown into a formidable lioness who could easily find herself in trouble. The Adamsons, however, did something considered impossible. They brought Elsa to the remote Meru National Park in Kenya, where George taught Elsa how to hunt and survive on her own. Elsa became the first captive lion to be successfully reintroduced into the wild.
From that point on, Elsa roamed freely in the wild, although she would occasionally visit the part of Meru Park where her former caretakers lived. On one such visit, Elsa brought her three cubs, and the Adamsons knew then that she had fully adapted to her new life in the wild.
Elsa passed away in 1961 from tick fever, but her legacy was just beginning. Joy wrote the book Born Free to tell Elsa’s remarkable story. The book became a global bestseller, translated into 24 languages, and was made into a hit film in 1966. Elsa’s kindness and playful nature captured the hearts of millions worldwide, forever changing how people viewed lions. No longer regarded as vicious predators to be confined and mistreated, lions were now seen as unique individuals deserving of the freedom to live in the wild.
Elsa’s story inspired George to dedicate his life to teaching captive lions how to survive in the wild. One of his most famous students was the affectionate Christian, who eventually became the leader of his own pride and starred in one of Time Magazine’s 2008 Top 10 Viral Videos. Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, the actors who portrayed the Adamsons in the Born Free movie, were so moved by their experiences that they founded an international organization dedicated to freeing captive wildlife and protecting it from human cruelty.
4. The Last Of The Billions
On September 1, 1914, a passenger pigeon named Martha passed away in her cage at the Cincinnati Zoo at an estimated age of 29. Although no official national day of mourning was held for Martha, her death remains one of the most sorrowful events in American history, continuing to inspire conservation efforts even a century later.
Martha, named after George Washington’s wife, was the last living passenger pigeon. In 1860, there had been billions of passenger pigeons across North America. They flew in such massive flocks that they could block out the sun, and the collective flapping of their wings altered the atmosphere. Their numbers were so immense that it seemed the passenger pigeon would never face extinction. Sadly, they were hunted for their meat and often slaughtered simply as a nuisance. By the 1900s, their numbers had dramatically declined, and when Martha passed away, the species was officially declared extinct.
Martha was born in captivity and likely arrived at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1902, where she was placed with a small group of her kind. Despite efforts to help the flock thrive, the passenger pigeons bred poorly in captivity, producing just one chick per year. After all the other captive birds died, Martha was left alone, becoming a symbol for the billions of birds that would never again grace the American skies. Upon her death, her body was promptly frozen into a block of ice and sent to the Smithsonian, where she remains carefully preserved to this day.
At the time of Martha's death, the long-term effects of losing her species were not fully understood. One consequence that arose was a surge in the deer mouse population, as they began to feed on the acorns that the passenger pigeons once consumed. Deer mice are now the primary carriers of Lyme disease, one of the fastest-growing epidemics today, almost as if it were a form of revenge from the lost pigeons.
Even in 1914, Martha’s passing made headlines in the environmental world. Debates arose over whether humans were truly responsible for the rapid decline of passenger pigeons in such a short span of 50 years. Some people even claimed that the pigeons had changed in appearance and were now hiding in South America. Fortunately, not everyone dismissed the human impact on the environment. Martha’s death helped ignite a movement for conservation and the creation of laws to protect birds and other endangered species. Today, Martha remains a central figure in a national conversation: Should the DNA of preserved passenger pigeons like Martha be used for cloning in an attempt to resurrect the species, or is it better to let nature take its course?
3. Snowball Catches A Killer
"Purr-fect Match." "CAT-astrophe for Criminals." "Fur-ensic Evidence." These were the corny headlines inspired by Snowball, the cat who provided the evidence for a murder conviction. On October 3, 1994, Shirley Duguay from Prince Edward Island disappeared. Less than a week later, her car was found a few miles from her home, covered in her blood. A few months later, her body was discovered in a shallow grave.
Suspicion quickly turned to Duguay’s estranged common-law husband, Douglas Beamish, known for his violent tendencies. Although Constable Roger Savoie believed Beamish was responsible for the murder, there was not enough evidence to make an arrest. Then, a man’s leather jacket was discovered in the woods, stained with Duguay’s blood. Savoie worked to link the jacket to Beamish.
During his visit to Beamish’s new home, Constable Savoie noticed the family’s white cat, Snowball. The jacket found at the scene was covered in blood and contained white cat fur in its lining. Savoie immediately sought to have the cat hairs tested for DNA to compare with Snowball’s DNA. However, this presented an unexpected challenge. DNA testing was still a relatively new technique, and no lab had yet analyzed pet DNA for forensic purposes, with none willing to be the first to take that step.
Constable Savoie eventually received assistance from a geneticist at the United States Cancer Institute, who specialized in feline DNA. The tests confirmed that Snowball’s DNA matched the DNA of the cat hairs found on the jacket, but another question arose. What if all the neighborhood cats had similar DNA due to inbreeding on the island? Determined to make his case, the constable had blood samples collected from about 20 other cats in Snowball’s neighborhood. The results revealed enough genetic diversity, making Snowball’s fur crucial evidence in the case.
Beamish was convicted. Since then, other criminal cases have also used pet DNA as evidence, and scientists have begun working on creating pet DNA databases to aid in solving future crimes.
2. Echo’s Reality TV Show
Born in Kenya's Amboseli National Park in 1945, Echo grew to become the world's most famous elephant. From 1973 until her passing in 2009, Echo was closely observed by biologists, and much of our understanding of African elephants today is a result of studying her. Since 1990, Echo's life has also been documented by BBC film cameras.
Female elephants—mothers, grandmothers, sisters, cousins, siblings, and calves—form tight-knit bonds. Echo, as the matriarch of her family’s herd, used her vast knowledge and experience to guide them through a world fraught with danger, including lions, droughts, and hostile human neighbors. One memorable moment captured on film shows Echo caring for her calf, Ely, who was born with crooked front legs and unable to stand. Contrary to expectations, Echo did not abandon him. She nurtured him, moving slowly while foraging so that Ely could crawl alongside her until his legs became strong enough for him to stand.
The cameras also documented Echo's response when her daughter was taken by a rival herd. Displaying the leadership qualities for which she was renowned, Echo rallied the largest elephants in her group. Together, they charged at the kidnappers, and Echo successfully rescued her daughter.
As viewers followed her journey, they admired Echo’s wisdom and unwavering dedication to her family. During Kenya’s most severe drought, Echo led her herd through unimaginable hardships. By the time of her death in 2009, her herd had grown from just 7 elephants to 40. Echo had done her job well, and even after her passing, the family continued to benefit from the lessons she had imparted. With millions of viewers watching, Echo became one of the most adored television stars globally, overcoming crises that might have devastated humans.
Echo’s exceptional character still serves as an inspiration for those working to protect endangered elephants. She showed the world the deep family bonds and emotional connections elephants share. Her story continues to galvanize efforts to protect elephants in the wild and rescue them from the emotional trauma they endure in captivity, whether in circuses or zoos.
1. David Greybeard Goes Fishing
In July of 1960, Jane Goodall arrived in what is now known as Gombe National Park in Tanzania. Her mission was to study the wild chimpanzees, still elusive and enigmatic creatures at the time.
Today, Jane Goodall is one of the most renowned scientists in the world, but her research didn’t start off easily. For the first three months at Gombe, she struggled to observe the shy chimpanzees, who kept their distance. She feared that her funding would soon run out, leaving her unable to continue her work in Africa without any meaningful discoveries about the chimps.
Fortunately, one chimpanzee seemed unbothered by Jane’s presence. She named him David Greybeard because of his gray chin whiskers. In October of 1960, David Greybeard made an incredible breakthrough by sharing a bush pig with a female chimpanzee, disproving the long-held belief that chimps were purely vegetarians.
Excited by her breakthrough, Jane continued to watch David. About a month later, she saw him inserting grass into a termite mound and then raising the grass to his mouth. Intrigued, Jane waited until David moved on and then tried mimicking his actions. When she poked the grass into the mound, the termites clung to the blade like fish caught on a line. David had been using the grass as a tool to fish for termites.
David Greybeard was among the first animals to clearly demonstrate the use of tools, challenging the prevailing belief that only humans could create and use tools. This discovery was so groundbreaking that Jane’s funding was renewed, and she stayed in Gombe, where she later observed David Greybeard crafting simple tools from twigs by stripping off their leaves to fish for termites.
David Greybeard’s actions dramatically altered the way scientists viewed the relationship between chimps and humans. The famed archaeologist and paleontologist Louis S. B. Leakey summed up the significance of David’s tool use with the remark: “Now we must redefine ‘tool,’ redefine ‘Man,’ or accept chimpanzees as humans.”
