"When Spanish missionaries first found Capybaras in Brazil during the 16th century, they wrote to the Pope for guidance, saying "there is an animal here that is scaly but also hairy, and spends time in the water (the capybara has webbed feet to facilitate its aquatic habit) but occasionally comes on land; can we classify it as a fish?" The question was significant, as the Catholic faith forbids eating meat during Lent. Having a second hand description of the animal (and not wanting the petitioners to turn away from Catholicism), the Pope agreed and declared the Capybara a fish."
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"The decision may have been taken on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of the capybara available to the Church authorities in Rome. But this decision was never reversed, and to this day the capybara is the only warm-blooded animal with this status."
3 comments:
Fun Fact:
The catholic church designated the Capybara as a Fish so it could be eaten during lent.
Re: the Catholic Church Decision
This news will shake our apartment's very foundations.
The capybara is the favorite animal of 2/3 of us. News like this is going to cause a damn riot in the three-five.
Excuse me while I go write to the Vactican.
Sure enough:
"When Spanish missionaries first found Capybaras in Brazil during the 16th century, they wrote to the Pope for guidance, saying "there is an animal here that is scaly but also hairy, and spends time in the water (the capybara has webbed feet to facilitate its aquatic habit) but occasionally comes on land; can we classify it as a fish?" The question was significant, as the Catholic faith forbids eating meat during Lent. Having a second hand description of the animal (and not wanting the petitioners to turn away from Catholicism), the Pope agreed and declared the Capybara a fish."
...
"The decision may have been taken on the basis of incomplete or inaccurate descriptions of the capybara available to the Church authorities in Rome. But this decision was never reversed, and to this day the capybara is the only warm-blooded animal with this status."
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