A Menagerie Of Real Animals Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dolly

Dolly, named after Dolly Parton, was cloned at the University of Edinburgh and was born on July 5, 1996. She lived until February 14, 2003.

Answer: Laika

Laika was the first of ten dogs sent into space before Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. A passenger on Sputnik 2 in 1957, Laika died during the flight. A statue and plaque at Star City in Russia commemorate Laika's voyage.

Answer: Balto

Balto saved his team in the Topkok River, stayed on the trail in near whiteout conditions, led their leg of the run in almost total darkness, and when the team and its sledder charged with the final leg were asleep, pushed on to Nome. Balto and his sledder, Gunnar Kaasen, became celebrities.

A statue of Balto by Frederick Roth was erected in New York's Central Park in December 1925, and Balto was present at the unveiling. Balto passed away in 1933, and his mounted remains can be found at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Answer: Incitatus

Incitatus (meaning "swift") may have been proposed for such offices, but there is no record he was ever given them. Caligula, of course, was several grapes short of a vineyard.

Answer: Cher Ami

During the Battle of the Argonne in October 1918, the US Army Signal Corps was being shelled by their own side. Cher Ami was sent off with a message to end the bombardment. She was shot and knocked down, but got up and flew 25 miles with a bullet in her chest. Badly wounded, blind in one eye, and with one leg hanging off, she delivered the message.

She was given medical care, a wooden leg, and many awards, and died a hero in June 1919.

Answer: Elsa

Elsa had three cubs in the wild, but she lived only five years, dying of a disease called babesia. She lives on in books and films such as "Born Free."

Answer: Sam

Originally named Oskar, he was first rescued from the German ship Bismark in May 1941 (outliving over 2000 shipmates) by the British battleship HMS Cossack. Renamed Sam, he survived the torpedoing of the HMS Cossack that killed 159 men later in 1941 and ended up on the shore of Gibraltar. Now called Unsinkable Sam, he was brought to the HMS Ark Royal which had been involved in the fight with the Bismark.

The HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed and most of the crew were saved. Sam was found, angry but unharmed, floating on a plank.

After that, he stayed on land, eventually dying in a seaman's home in Belfast in 1955.

Answer: Dog

Sergeant Stubby was a pit bull who spent 18 months in the trenches with the infantry. His acute senses of hearing and smell allowed him to warn soldiers of danger and locate the wounded. He participated in four offensives and seventeen battles, and was wounded several times.

When he returned to the United States in 1918 he received many medals and honors. He enjoyed his retirement until he passed away in 1926.

Answer: Bucephalus

Bucephalus, one of the most famous horses in history, died after the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 BCE. In tribute, Alexander founded the city of Bucephala at that site.

Answer: Ham

Ham (an acronym for the place he was trained, the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center) was launched on January 31, 1961. He had his vital signs monitored and had been trained to complete simple tasks. For example, he was taught to push a lever within five seconds after he saw a flashing blue light.

He completed his chores and splashed down in the Atlantic, suffering only a bruised nose. He retired and lived a carefree life until he passed away in 1983.