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Animals in the News

These animals made news. Based on the news story, can you name the type of animal involved?
* = apocryphal
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: May 3, 2019
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First submittedMay 3, 2019
Times taken9,273
Average score75.0%
Rating4.28
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Year
Name
News story
Answer
2015
Cecil
Internet is outraged after killing of animal by dentist
Lion
2012
Lonesome George
Species goes extinct as last remaining individual dies
Pinta Island tortoise
2010
Paul
"Psychic" animal predicts World Cup matches
Octopus
2010
Tilikum
This Sea World animal kills a human for the third time
Orca
2006
-
"Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin killed by an animal
Stingray
1998
Koko
Precocious animal has the first interspecies online chat,
but doesn't make a lot of sense
Gorilla
1996
Dolly
The first mammal to be cloned
Sheep
1988
Bubbles
Michael Jackson acquires an exotic new pet
Chimpanzee
1963
Ming Ming
For the first time, an animal of this species is bred in captivity
Giant Panda
1957
Laika
Soviet animal becomes the first to orbit the Earth
Dog
1945
Miracle Mike
Animal has its head chopped off but survives for another 18 months
Chicken
1918
Cher Ami
Heroic animal delivers message helping to rescue 500 American
troops stuck behind enemy lines
Carrier Pigeon
1907
Clever Hans
After fooling thousands, it turns out that this animal is not
actually able to do arithmetic
Horse
1886
Punxsutawney
Phil
Every year, this animal sees its shadow or doesn't - presaging
future weather conditions
Groundhog
1871
-
Animal falsely accused of starting the Great Chicago Fire
Cow
30 BC
-
Cleopatra commits suicide by letting this type of snake bite her *
Asp
+1
Level 74
May 3, 2019
*Psychic
+1
Level 74
May 3, 2019
Also, surely this clue should have an asterisk for being apocryphal...! (And as a side note, apocryphal is spelled wrong in the instructions :) Fun idea for a quiz.
+1
Level ∞
May 3, 2019
All spelling fixed. Put "psychic" in quotes.
+1
Level 69
May 4, 2019
It would only need an asterisk if "Psychic" wasn't in quotes.
+11
Level 89
May 3, 2019
So the horse was just a horse? Of course. Of course.
+1
Level 84
May 3, 2019
Miracle Mike's executioner left the brain stem. Should that really count as having its head chopped off?
+5
Level ∞
May 3, 2019
Yes. If you look at pictures, he certainly appears to be a headless chicken.
+2
Level 48
May 3, 2019
I got them all except Cecil... I remember that now. Trophy hunter dentist, like Trump's kids.
+8
Level ∞
Jun 13, 2019
Trump's children are dentists? I didn't know that.
+1
Level 77
Feb 23, 2021
Certainly not all of them are!
+2
Level 69
May 3, 2019
Cobra for asp?
+1
Level 83
Jun 16, 2019
or viper maybe
+1
Level 57
Apr 6, 2021
Not cobra. Accept viper though.
+1
Level 68
Jun 16, 2019
Fun quiz! Got them all, except for one: I put woodchuck but it didn't accept it :-(
+2
Level 72
Jun 17, 2019
Woodchuck Day. A classic movie!
+2
Level 76
Jun 23, 2019
And the sequel, Whistlepig Nights.
+1
Level 68
Jun 16, 2019
Lonesome George was about 100 years old. I got to see Harriet the Galapagos tortoise at Australia Zoo in 2005. She was about 175 years old!
+15
Level 69
Jun 16, 2019
Harambe?
+1
Level 83
Jun 16, 2019
Don't think I ever heard of Paul the Octopus. Got the others.
+3
Level 91
Jun 17, 2019
I know this is kinda pedantic, but there is a typo in the quiz description. It should be "based on the 'news story'" not "new story"
+1
Level 71
Jun 26, 2019
"Based on the newS story" You're welcome.
+6
Level ∞
Jun 26, 2019
How can I ever repay you?
+1
Level 65
Feb 2, 2023
Can you accept Rooster?