10 insanely skilled animals famous for their human jobs
Animals are loyal companions. But for many people around the world, animals are also food. Animals can be a source of entertainment, of pop culture films Baby And The lionking to a cat chasing a laser pointer as if it were the only food source on earth.
Throughout civilization, the human race has benefited enormously from the influence and exploitation of our furry, slimy, and feathered friends, often used to power certain human industries (think agriculture before tractors). Other times we assign them human tasks that they perform with confidence.
Here are ten animals famous for their human work.
Related: Top 10 Species That Only Exist Because of Humans
10 Pelorus Jack – The Navigator
The treacherous waters off New Zealand’s French Pass, a narrow stretch of water starting at Pelorus Sound, were tricky to navigate, with currents flowing through them at 8 knots. One day in 1888, the crew of the schooner Brindle, traveling toward French Pass, noticed a white Risso’s dolphin in the steamboat’s wake. Pelorus Jack, as he was known, spent the next 24 hours escorting boats from Pelorus Sound to French Pass, never leaving his clearly defined area.
On the reverse journey he again encountered ships leaving the pass and staying with them along the way, drifting on their bow waves. Over the years, Pelorus Jack became quite famous for apparently guiding ships to safer waters, steering them away from potential dangers and preventing shipwrecks. Jack became so adept that he made ships wait for him to appear before passing through the tricky parts of the pass.[1]
9 Magic – the therapist
Magic, the gentle carousel miniature therapy horse, has no degree in psychology, can’t say human words, and doesn’t understand basic syntax. But Magic is not a normal horse. One of those mentioned Time As the most heroic of pets, Magic has built quite a reputation as a therapy horse, providing solace and comfort to patients in hospitals and hospices, schools and programs.
Magic and her team of equine friends are members of the Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, a volunteer charity based in Florida, and connect with more than 25,000 people of all ages, providing comfort in some of their darkest hours. Magic was even used to provide support after the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, bringing comfort to hundreds of people, which was a tall order.[2]
8 Cheesecake – the foster parent
Who better to care for abandoned puppies than the largest rodent known to man? Cheesecake is a capybara at the Rocky Ridge Refuge in Arkansas, a group founded solely for the rescue of abandoned and injured animals.
Cheesecake was still a baby when she arrived at the shelter, so she lived indoors with the dogs, playing and sleeping with them. It was no surprise to the shelter’s founder, Janice Wolf, that Cheesecake took on the task of caring for and raising the abandoned puppies.
To raise money for the animals’ care, Wolf started a Facebook page, and the adorable photos of Cheesecake and the pups have since gone somewhat viral, with Cheesecake even appearing on calendars sold to the public.[3]
7 Men’s clothing Dog – The model
Bhodi the Shibu Inu, or Menswear Dog, has been called the most stylish dog in the world. Discovered in 2013 when his owners took photos of him modeling menswear, the photos took the internet by storm. He has been infamy for his impeccable style and picturesque camera persona.
Although he lives the good life in New York, as you would expect from a famous model, Bhodi still stays with his owners: Yena Kim, a fashion designer and David Fung, a graphic designer. He reportedly earns up to $15,000 a month, landing contracts with the biggest fashion players in the game.
Bhodi made the dream come true for his two owners, who managed to turn Bhodi’s fashion ambitions into a full-time career, receiving fashion recommendations and even designing a clothing line specifically for dogs.[4]
6 Louis – the custodian
Louis the parrot lived to be 115 years old, the last 17 years of which he was the keeper of a country house and estate worth more than the average parrot needs. When Miss Victoria Wilson died in 1949, she owned some prime real estate and left her entire estate to the Royal Jubilee Hospital and the Red Cross, as well as to her parrot Louis, her best friend in the world. The caveat: only after Louis’ death would the money be passed on to Jubilee and the Red Cross.
He was placed in the care of Yue Wah Wong, and although Louis was the rightful custodian of the estate, the validity of the will was attacked by several interested parties in their quest to lay claim to what they believed was wasted on the parrot. The multiple attempts were either rejected outright by the courts or fell foul of public outcry and were withdrawn. Louis spent the rest of his life sipping brandy and enjoying the fruits of Miss Victoria’s labor.[5]
5 Congo–the artist
When you look at the work of Congo, the world-famous artist, you might think, “Even a monkey could do that.” You would be right. Congo, the chimpanzee, first took to the brush when Desmond Morris, himself a zoologist and painter, was studying the creative habits of apes. Over the course of Desmond’s research into the remarkable creature, Congo produced more than 400 works of art. What started as smudges and blotches of nothing quickly evolved into more complex work that showcased logic and planning.
Congo’s work was put up for sale in 1957, but in 2005 three of Congo’s paintings went to auction for $25,000. More recently, however, Congo’s work has been auctioned, reaching prices in excess of $250,000 and rising – posthumously, of course. The true curse of being an artist.[6]
4 Jack – the railway signalman
When James Wide saw a chacma baboon driving an ox cart at a market in South Africa, he bought it and made it his personal pet and assistant. James, the unfortunate soul, affectionately known as Jumper because he jumped between train cars, lost both his legs when he fell under a moving train. So the first thing he taught Jack was to push him to work in a cart. Shortly thereafter, Jack was called in to do chores such as sweeping and taking out trash.
But it didn’t stop there. James also entrusted Jack with operating the signals that instructed engineers which tracks to take, as well as helping with important tasks when new engineers would reach the coal sheds. Eventually, Jack could even operate the signal levers and no longer needed instructions from his master to complete the job.[7]
3 Nils Olav – Major General of the Norwegian Kingsguard
Sir Nils Olav was knighted in 2008, promoted to Brigadier General in 2016 and then to Major General in 2023. He is the personification of dignified and royal. Sir Olav is also a king penguin.
When the Norwegian Kingsguard visited the zoo, Major Nils Egelien was fascinated by the penguins and how their march reminded him of the march of the Norwegian Kingsguard. Soon after, they adopted a king penguin as their military mascot.
Sir Nils’ full title is Major General Sir Nils Olav, Baron of the Bouvet Islands. He is the third highest rank in the Norwegian Army, now surpassing Major Nils Egelien, the soldier he was named after in 1972. Long may he live.[8]
2 GI Pigeon – The messenger
There are many war animals worth mentioning, but one of the most infamous is GI Joe, the pigeon, who is credited with saving more than a thousand lives in his most famous venture. When the British Army’s 56th Brigade was to attack the town of Colvi Vecchia, Italy at 10:00 am, the Americans were ordered to bomb the same town at the same time. The Germans withdrew and the British took the city in advance, leaving British forces within range of American air attacks.
Attempts to cancel the bombing failed before they released GI Joe with the key message, hoping the bombing would be averted. He covered a distance of 20 miles in twenty minutes, arriving just as the planes were in action. GI Joe was named and awarded the Dickin Medal for gallantry – the only animal in the United States to receive this prestigious award.[9]
1 Felicia – The Particle Physicist
Okay, it may be a stretch to qualify Felicia the ferret as a physicist, but there’s no denying that she has played a hugely important role in advancing our understanding of particle physics.
When physicists at the National Accelerator Lab in Illinois began testing the world’s largest machine, their $250 million project ran into a few problems. After many failed attempts and countless hours, they realized that metal shavings left behind from the construction of the tubes were causing the magnets to fail.
Felicia, a $35 ferret, learned to run through pipes for rewards. Soon after, she worked her way through the 4-mile-long hose, cleaning off any debris that could be detrimental to the process. They also gave her a diaper just to be safe, as ferret feces would replace one problem with another.[10]