Random Ingenious Ways Animals Have Majorly Helped Humans Throughout History (11 items)

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  (#6) Dead Animals Were Used As Chemical Warfare

  Animals can't even get a break once their dead. People used to use dead animals as chemical warfare. Persians, Greeks, and Romans from 300 BCE used to throw dead animals down wells to contaminate drinking water and poison unwitting enemies. This method, along with using poisonous roots like mandrake (a sedative) and hellbore, is some of the first ever documented chemical warfare.
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  (#10) Cormorant Birds Help Fisherman Catch Fish

  Cormorant fishing is a traditional practice in Japan and China, where owners train birds to fish in rivers and streams. In order to catch fish, fishermen tie a snare at the base of the bird's throat which prevents them from swallowing larger catches. These birds are trained to return to their boats after they catch a fish. When they return, they're made to spit up their catch.

  Cormorants are super smart and are said to keep a tally of what they catch (they allegedly can count up to seven). If they're not rewarded for their efforts, they simply stop fishing. At least these little guys get some form of payment for their hard work, even if they've got to demand it.
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  (#11) Canaries Let Miners Know There's A Problem

  Dating back to 1911, canaries have been used in coal mines to detect carbon monoxide before it has a chance to hurt humans. Canaries were beloved in the mines they worked in, and treated like pets among the many miners. Even so, the birds were released into the mines, and if they stopped singing, miners knew there was a porblem. Canaries are particularly vulnerable to airborne poisons, so when a canary died, it was a warning for miners to get out as fast as they could before they started feeling the effects of toxic gas. The rather inhumane practice ended in 1986, when canaries were replaced with electric CO2 detectors.
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  (#5) Humans Thrived Because They Had Dogs To Help Them With Chores

  There's a reason modern-day humans thrived and Neanderthals did not. While a number of factors cotributed to their detriment – like environmental changes and technological advancements – some suggest that humans' utilization of canines helped them outlive their less-skilled counterparts. Anthropologist Pat Shipman believes the domestication of dogs is the root of human survival. In exchange for shelter, food and a few furry cuddles, humans tricked Paleolithic dogs (gigantic pups who weighed a minimum of 70 lbs) to transport animal carcasses during hunting. Without having to shoulder the weight of carrying a bunch of heavy animal carcasses, humans could spend more time hunting, gathering, and getting down (i.e. procreating for our species' future success).
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  (#9) Pigeons Act As Mailmen

  Before the modern mail system (and long, long before email), people used carrier pigeons to deliver important messages. Homing pigeons were selectively bred for the ability to find home from extremely long distances, so messages can only be sent in one direction. Ancient Romans famously used the pigeons during chariot races to tell owners how their bets had placed. Genghis Khan also established pigeon relay posts across Asia and Eastern Europe to deliver messages back to his armies.
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  (#2) Ants Stitched Up Open Wounds

  Back before people went to doctors to stitch up gnarly wounds, ancient tribes in East Africa and South America used living ants as sutures. Dorylus or Eciton ants were commonly tricked into stitching up warriors because of their sharp, unyielding bite. To trick an ant into becoming your Band-Aid, all you've got to do is hold together your wound, get it to bite you, and then snap off the rest of the body once it's attached. The only drawback is that ants aren't sterile, so you better watch that incoming infection.

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