A German newspaper ran a "news photo" of a giant five-foot-high penguin affectionately kissing a man with its long beak. The accompanying story explained that the Gargantuan penguin had recently been brought to Berlin and was being kept in a private zoo. Eventually, the plan was to take it on a tour of the world as part of an attraction in a circus.
The story created a minor sensation in Berlin. Pet store owners, animal trainers, and naturalists all received numerous calls from people wishing to see the giant penguin.
Several days later the newspaper admitted that not only the picture a composite, but that the bird shown was a stuffed member of its species.
[
Milwaukee Sentinel - May 17, 1931]
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