Most Famous Wild Animals of All Time

Certain wild animals have captured the imaginations and hearts of people worldwide, earning them a place in the history books. They have become symbols of conservation, awe, and wonder, and their stories continue to inspire and educate.

From a nearly 200-year old tortoise to a mountain lion living alone in the city of Los Angeles, these famous wild animals have left an indelible mark on our understanding of the natural world and the importance of preserving it. 

Hippos are one of the most dangerous animals on earth, but Jessica is just a member of the family. She became well-known for her relationship with a South African couple, Tony and Shirley Joubert, who found her orphaned and injured in 2000. The couple nursed her back to health and she developed a deep connection with them.

Now, 23, while she does visit with other hippos in the area, she always comes back to the Jouberts, who feed and shelter her. Their home is open for visitors to meet Jessica and give her her favorite drink, rooibos tea.

Harambe was a western lowland gorilla who came to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in 2014 after successfully living at another zoo for 15 years.

He didn’t last long there. In 2016, a toddler fell into his enclosure, and Harambe climbed down to investigate. While some people felt he was protecting the child, video also clearly shows him dragging the boy by the leg through a moat. Zookeepers felt they had no choice but to shoot Harambe to save the child’s life. 

Harbembe became the subject of many of meme as he and the zoo gained notoriety. His death also sparked discussions about the treatment and conservation of gorillas in captivity, as well as debates on parental responsibility at zoos.

The Cincinnati Zoo has since enclosed its gorilla exhibit.

For better or worse, Tilikum brought attention to the plight of killer whales in captivity.

The male orca gained notoriety due to his involvement in several tragic incidents at marine parks. Tilikum’s most notorious incident occurred in 2010 at SeaWorld Orlando when he killed trainer Dawn Brancheau during a live show; however, he had been involved in two deaths prior to Brancheau’s. 

His life was the subject of the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which shed light on the physical and mental toll that captivity brings on orcas who may show aggressive and dangerous behavior as a result. 

Tilikum returned to performing in 2011. He was never released back into the wild and died in captivity in 2017. 

Ham the Chimp was the first first hominid in space. He was trained by NASA as part of its  efforts to send living creatures into space and test the effects of space travel on them. 

Ham blasted off on January 31, 1961 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. His was a suborbital flight that lasted about 16 minutes. During that time, he was monitored by scientists as he performed simple tasks onboard the spacecraft.

He short time in flight showed NASA that humans could function perfectly well in space. Within a few months of Ham’s flight, Alan Shepard made his own suborbital spaceflight.

Ham lived out his life at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and later at the North Carolina Zoo until his death in 1983.