DALLAS — From little hippos to oversized penguins, recent internet sensations show nothing goes viral quite like a cute animal.
But even before the days of social media superstars, tales from the animal kingdom were always a newsworthy occasion. Old WFAA stories from the 1970s archived in SMU’s Jones Film Library show a variety of different furry friends giving North Texas all the good feels.
Like a cat in 1975 whose black and white pattern made her a prime candidate to adopt two baby skunks who took to her motherly instincts.
Or the rancher and his house pet of choice, a 2,000-pound buffalo who enjoyed watching television alongside him even though he took up half the living room.
A woman and three bears make up the cast of a classic fairytale, but in 1973, it became a reality when three honey bears went missing from their cage. Fortunately, a WFAA story grabbed enough public interest and eventually helped reunite the family.
Former WFAA reporter Bill O’Reilly was on the scene in 1976 where a buzzard, appropriately named Buzz, had taken up residence in a family’s backyard and seemed to enjoy domestic life. He responded to whistle commands and preferred his food cooked.
Even though their dog Skipper was not too thrilled at the prospect of a yard mate at first, the family helped the two become fast friends.
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