26 of LIFE’s Best Animal Covers

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As magazine titles go, LIFE is perhaps the most all-encompassing in the history of periodicals. Though the magazine specialized in facets of human life—from war to fashion and culture to politics—the editors more than dabbled in the lives of our four-legged (and slithering and winged) friends. Someone in the art department clearly had a soft spot for dogs, but mice, lorises, triggerfish and walruses all had their turns on the cover, as well. For their contributions to science and cinema, agriculture and plain old human companionship, animals more than earned their ample coverage in LIFE—though they probably couldn’t have cared less.

Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LizabethRonk.

February 8, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover
February 8, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Charles J. Belden).LIFE Magazine
March 1, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover
March 1, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Henry M. Lester).LIFE Magazine
April 26, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover
April 26, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Torkel Korling).LIFE Magazine
July 26, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover
July 26, 1937 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt).LIFE Magazine
January 10, 1938 LIFE Magazine cover
January 10, 1938 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Lane Flinders).LIFE Magazine
December 12, 1938 LIFE Magazine cover
December 12, 1938 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by George Karger).LIFE Magazine
April 3, 1944 LIFE Magazine cover
April 3, 1944 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Nina Leen).LIFE Magazine
September 9, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover
September 9, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Martha Holmes).LIFE Magazine
September 23, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover
September 23, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Frank Scherschel).LIFE Magazine
November 4, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover
November 4, 1946 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by David Douglas Duncan).LIFE Magazine
August 23, 1948 LIFE Magazine cover
August 23, 1948 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Jon Brenneis).LIFE Magazine
January 31, 1949 LIFE Magazine cover
January 31, 1949 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by George Karger).LIFE Magazine
October 8, 1951 LIFE Magazine cover
October 8, 1951 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Burton Glinn).LIFE Magazine
November 30, 1953 LIFE Magazine cover
November 30, 1953 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Fritz Goro).LIFE Magazine
December 22, 1952 LIFE Magazine cover
December 22, 1952 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Ed Clark).LIFE Magazine
March 22, 1954 LIFE Magazine cover
March 22, 1954 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Roger Kirschner).LIFE Magazine
November 8, 1954 LIFE Magazine cover
November 8, 1954 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Gjon Mili).LIFE Magazine
November 24, 1958 LIFE Magazine cover
November 24, 1958 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Ralph Crane).LIFE Magazine
March 16, 1959 LIFE Magazine cover
March 16, 1959 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Dmitri Kessel).LIFE Magazine
June 27, 1960 LIFE Magazine cover
June 27, 1960 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Fritz Goro).LIFE Magazine
February 10, 1961 LIFE Magazine cover
February 10, 1961 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Henry Burroughs).LIFE Magazine
March 1, 1963 LIFE Magazine cover
March 1, 1963 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Nina Leen).LIFE Magazine
June 19, 1964 LIFE Magazine cover
June 19, 1964 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by Francis Miller).LIFE Magazine
January 6, 1967 LIFE Magazine cover
January 6, 1967 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by John Dominis).LIFE Magazine
December 5, 1969 LIFE Magazine cover
December 5, 1969 LIFE Magazine cover (photo by John Dominis).LIFE Magazine
January 30, 1970 LIFE Magazine cover
LIFE magazine cover of 01-30-1970 w. pic of snow monkey of Japan in water, by Co Rentmeester.LIFE Magazine

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Write to Eliza Berman at eliza.berman@time.com