It was an excellent swimmer, but rather clumsy on land, which made it easy prey for eagles, polar bears and humans.
All in Animals
The Last Carolina Parakeet
Bright green with an orange and yellow head, it was one of the most colorful birds living in the eastern United States.
Tecún Umán
On this day the last King of the K'iche' Maya people was killed during a battle in what is now Guatemala.
The Theft of Shergar
On this foggy night, Shergar, the famous racehorse and stud was stolen.
Great Race of Mercy
On this day a dogsled team completed a 674 mile journey across ice and snow to deliver a life-saving anti-toxin.
Space Chimp
On this day a chimpanzee named Ham became the first hominid in space.
Ben Franklin's Turkey Letter
He penned a letter to his daughter, Sarah Bache, in which he expressed his opinion about the selection of the bald eagle as the national bird.
Greyfriars Bobby
The devoted dog refused to leave his master's side and set up permanent residence at his grave.
Tabasco Gator
Today was the day that Edward McIlhenny killed what may be the largest alligator in Louisiana history.
Lazarus Taxon
It's regarded as an important evolutionary missing link between fish and four-legged amphibians.
Seal Befriends Lady on a Beach
A tourist gets up close and personal with an elephant seal.
Old Billy
The world's oldest horse died on this day.
Hero Boiled Alive
Others warned him not to dive in, but he told them, "Like hell I won't!"
Science Bites Back
When a nine-year-old boy was bitten by a rabid dog, Louis Pasteur and Émile Roux put a revolutionary treatment to the test.
Exxon Valdez
Estimates are that as many 250,000 sea birds, 2,800 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 247 bald eagles and billions of salmon eggs were killed.
Attack of the Crocodiles
It was on this day in what is now Burma, that hundreds of Japanese soldiers were attacked and eaten by crocodiles.
Nugget Man
Robert C. Baker invented some of the most popular fast food items of all time.
Camels in America
The camels performed well in initial tests where they were able to handle rough terrain and the extreme temperatures of the Southwest.
Manolete
On the day he died, the greatest matdor faced a venerable opponent descended from a deadly line of Miura bulls.