# We're evacuating the planet for an unspoiled Earth. What animal species do we take with us?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [November 19, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234 "2010-11-19T17:16:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/1 "2010-11-19T17:16:35Z")
A catastrophe is about to destroy the Earth, or at least make it uninhabitable for human beings. Though we haven’t the tech to deflect the anti-matter meteor or whatever, we do have the ability to evacuate a pitiful portion of our populace: let’s call it 10 million persons. We’ll be moving to an alternate Earth in which the [Toba catastrophe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toba_catastrophe_theory) was worse than it was in our world. Specifically, the super-volcanic eruption killed off humanity entirely rather than leaving 10,000 or so humans.
Leaving aside all considerations of how to choose the 10 million persons to be saved – what animal species should we take with us, and why? If you can’t decide, what information do you want before you make your decision?
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### Author:  [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/2 "2010-11-19T17:20:00Z")
We definitely want penguins.
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### Author:  [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/3 "2010-11-19T17:23:43Z")
I think I’d start with domesticated animals; the ones that can do work and be eaten would be at the top of my list. Near the bottom would be things that amuse me. Left off would be most of the things that would choose to kill me.
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### Author:  [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/4 "2010-11-19T17:24:01Z")
Only the cute ones. And the tasty ones. But that’s it.
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### Author:  [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/5 "2010-11-19T17:33:42Z")
velociraptors
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/6 "2010-11-19T17:35:22Z")
> [@PSXer](#):
>
> velociraptors
We don’t have any velociraptors. You should have inferred that from the fact that you are not currently being eaten.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/7 "2010-11-19T17:41:04Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> We don’t have any velociraptors. You should have inferred that from the fact that you are not currently being eaten.
Assumes facts not in evidence.
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### Author:  [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/8 "2010-11-19T17:44:45Z")
Cows, pigs, chickens and sheep are at the top of the list for their deliciousness. Next is horses and donkeys for their use as work animals to provide transportation and other labor. Next is cats and dogs for their cute and cuddly abilities. Lastly I think we need to bring a smattering of other animals (various birds, reptiles, fish, assorted mammals, etc.) to round out the new planet. I am assuming, of course, that the new planet has enough plant life to support the wide variety of species we are bringing along with us.
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/9 "2010-11-19T17:54:11Z")
Definitely bed bugs. It will give the media something to talk about.
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### Author:  [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/10 "2010-11-19T17:56:33Z")
> [@pbbth](#):
>
> Next is horses and donkeys for their use as work animals to provide transportation and other labor. Next is cats and dogs…
In my book dogs would come after food stock animals. I don’t believe horses and donkeys have any unique advantages over advanced technologies, but dogs sure do.
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/11 "2010-11-19T17:56:52Z")
> [@pbbth](#):
>
> Cows, pigs, chickens and sheep are at the top of the list for their deliciousness. Next is horses and donkeys for their use as work animals to provide transportation and other labor. Next is cats and dogs for their cute and cuddly abilities.
I would promote dogs (in particular) several stages up, probably immediately after whichever herd/meat animal you choose (probably sheep due to the wool and lack of religious restrictions); with only 10 million people it’s pretty likely we’d need their hunting/vermin-killing/herding skills before long.
ETA: plus down the road, when civilization is well established, we’d probably want them as seeing-eye dogs and in other helper-animal roles.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/12 "2010-11-19T17:57:57Z")
Cats. Then the food animals. We’ll need scorpions for The Pit. After that I’m open to suggestions.
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### Author:  [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/13 "2010-11-19T17:59:56Z")
If we’re planning on establishing agriculture at our destination, I’d definitely want house cats. Their propensity to kill anything and everything will help keep down the populations of whatever vermin we find that want to eat our food.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/14 "2010-11-19T18:05:36Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> Cats. Then the food animals. We’ll need scorpions for The Pit. After that I’m open to suggestions.
There will be indigenous scorpions or the equivalent, I’m sure. You’re just making trouble for whoever has to wrangle them before the jump.
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### Author:  [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/15 "2010-11-19T18:05:59Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#):
>
> I would promote dogs (in particular) several stages up, probably immediately after whichever herd/meat animal you choose (probably sheep due to the wool and lack of religious restrictions); with only 10 million people it’s pretty likely we’d need their hunting/vermin-killing/herding skills before long.
>
> ETA: plus down the road, when civilization is well established, we’d probably want them as seeing-eye dogs and in other helper-animal roles.
My thought is that if this volcano managed to destroy humanity entirely on this new planet it probably managed to destroy most everything else too. Humans have an uncanny ability to survive in truly horrible conditions and anything we couldn’t manage probably did in everything except cockroaches and sharks on this new planet. I’m not anticipating having much for dogs and cats to hunt or protect us from so that is why they are further down on the list. I am not an astronomer or biologist though so I am probably not the person who should get final say in the list of what we bring with us but if we can’t bring kitties I say nuts to this new planet and stay here to make the best of it.
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### Author:  [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/16 "2010-11-19T18:13:43Z")
#1 on the list: bees.
[List of crop plants pollinated by bees](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crop_plants_pollinated_by_bees)
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/17 "2010-11-19T18:17:06Z")
> [@Tom\_Scud](#):
>
> Assumes facts not in evidence.
:: evil overlord hat ::
I’m going to take this as a request to have the velociraptors unleashed.
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### Author:  [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/18 "2010-11-19T18:21:37Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> :: evil overlord hat ::
>
> I’m going to take this as a request to have the velociraptors unleashed.
Weren’t velociraptors only about the size of largish chickens? And possibly covered in feathers? Not much of a threat, this.
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### Author:  [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/19 "2010-11-19T18:25:00Z")
Why dont we just bring two of everything?
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-evacuating-the-planet-for-an-unspoiled-earth-what-animal-species-do-we-take-with-us/561234/20 "2010-11-19T18:29:15Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#):
>
> Weren’t velociraptors only about the size of largish chickens? And possibly covered in feathers? Not much of a threat, this.
I didn’t bring up velociraptors.
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