Famous Animals?

There seems to have been a spate of deaths of animals that have made the news. One is the report that the UK's largest land mammal, a Red deer (Cervus elaphus) stag, dubbed the Emperor of Exmoor has been shot, possibly by a trophy hunter, (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/oct/25/exmoor-emperor-stag-shot-dead ). Actually, this may have been an animal coming to the end of his competitive powers as successful stags only last a few years (the competition is very energetically demanding). We have also noted the demise of Paul the Octopus (Octopus vulgaris) the mollusc who alledgedly successfully 'predicted' last summer's football World Cup results in a German aquarium (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11626050 ). Paul was originally from Weymouth in Dorset and appears to have lived about the average duration for such animals. In spite of this, there are conspiracy stories that he died 3 months ago. Perhaps conspiracy theories are always generated by 'fame' irrespective of the species of the animal. It gives the media something additional to write about.