Two iconic animals laid to rest in New Mexico

In New Mexico, it is always heartbreaking to lay loved ones to rest. We often lose our loved ones when they are too young; before we are ready to let them go; from one of the state’s leading causes of death; and even after they have lived long, full lives.

No matter when or how, it is always sad to see a loved one die.

And it is not only our family members who find their final resting place in Arizona; numerous famous and influential personalities are also buried in this state – including some historic animals.

Which famous animals were buried in New Mexico?

In my search on Find a Grave, I came across two animals buried in New Mexico. I would say both are very well known.

Each of these animals has inspired people and made new things possible.

The first is Smoky bear.

If you don’t know the story of Smokey Bear, I’ll tell you briefly. In 1950, Smokey, a black bear, was severely burned as a young bear in a forest fire in the Lincoln National Forest in New Mexico. After being cared for in Santa Fe, Smokey became a symbol of the United States Forest Fire Service’s fire prevention program.

Today, Smokey’s legacy lives on in fire safety campaigns as an image that many people know and love.

Smokey died in Washington, DC in 1957. He was returned to New Mexico and buried in Smokey Bear Historical Park.

The second famous animal buried in this state is Ham.

Born in 1956, this chimpanzee was the first in space. Ham, named after Hollman Air Force Base in New Mexico where he was trained, was launched into space on January 31, 1961. He proved that this journey was possible for humans.

Ham died in 1983 at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro. He was returned to New Mexico and buried in front of the International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo.

These animals educate us and provide great services

Although Smokey and Ham are both gone, I think it’s important to remember their legacies, as we do some people’s. They both did a great job of encouraging and teaching people.

If you want to learn more about famous animals that have been buried, check out these in Texas.

The most endangered animals in Texas