History Main / AnimalEspionage

* In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'', Patrician Vetinari somehow manages to make an arrangement with the rats after being imprisoned. In return for him helping them, they will bring him news as to what is happening, both in terms of papers and gossip. It's implied that they were a result of the Unseen University's experiments, which is how they are so useful.

* In ''Literature/FairyOak'' Tomelilla mentions it's quite probable that the emisaries of the Enemy transform themselves into animals to do this, cue a class on animal behaviour and characteristics that Magicals can't imitate. The taste of cow milk is one of them, apparently.

* In ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films, the Fellowship takes cover from a massive flock of crows, thinking Saruman is using them as spies.

* In the ''Fairy/Oak'' series Tomelilla mentions it's quite probable that the emisaries of the Enemy transform themselves into animals to do this, cue a class on animal behaviour and characteristics that Magicals can't imitate. The taste of cow milk is one of them, apparently.

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

* The [[spoiler:diamond turtle]] in ''Literature/TheVoyageOfAlicw''. It turns out to be a remote-controlled robot.

* The [[spoiler:diamond turtle]] in ''[[Literature/AliceGirlFromTheFuture A Girl From Earth]]''. It turns out to be a remote-controlled robot.

* In ''WesternAnimation/AprilAndTheExtraordinary'', the villains uses remote control pigeons and rats with attached cameras and microphones to spy on their targets.

* Vultures are claimed to have been used by Israel to spy on Saudi Arabia. The vulture allegedly had transmitters attached to it. [[http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/27/middleeast/israel-vulture-lebanon-spy/ Lebanon would later hold a different bird on the same charge]]. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel-related_animal_conspiracy_theories This is far from]] [[http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/sep/02/egypt-spying-stork-animal-espionage the only accusation]] of such activity, although RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement applies.

!Examples:

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

* In ''Anime/ZeroNoTsukaima'':

[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* In ''Film/TheFifthElement'', one of [[TheDragon Zorg]]'s minions uses a cockroach fitted with a [[IncrediblyObviousBug hilariously conspicuous transmitter]] to spy on the president. The roach also seems to have a brain implant that allows him some rudimentary control over it. The president eventually notices the bug and squashes it, causing painful feedback for the listener. (Note that this is a parodical exaggeration. Despite the film being set a few centuries in the future, in real life the technology already exists to do this trick more effectively)
* In the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' films, the Fellowship takes cover from a massive flock of crows, thinking Saruman is using them as spies.
* ''The Spy With A Cold Nose'' was a British film made in 1966 in which a dog with a radio transmitter in its collar was given as a gift to the Russian Premier.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games ]]

[[folder: Video Games ]]

[[folder: Webcomics ]]

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', Taylor eventually learns to interpret the data from the bugs [[MinionMaster which she controls]]. Even one or two bugs in a room are enough for audio surveillance to some extent, and just [[ParanoiaFuel consider how many insects are around you]] ''[[ParanoiaFuel right now.]]'' Even before that, she could keep track of where the bugs were. [[DownplayedTrope While this didn't allow for precise intelligence, it allowed her to track people within her power's range and determine the layout of an area.]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

[[/folder]]

* In ''{{Literature/Worm}}'', Taylor eventually learns to interpret the data from the bugs [[MinionMaster which she controls]]. Even one or two bugs in a room are enough for audio surveillance to some extent, and just [[ParanoiaFuel consider how many insects are around you]] ''[[ParanoiaFuel right now.]]''
** Even before that, she could keep track of where the bugs were. [[DownplayedTrope While this didn't allow for precise intelligence, it allowed her to track people within her power's range and determine the layout of an area.]]

* Krosp from ''Webcomic/GirlGenius'' is an [[UpliftedAnimal Uplifted Cat]] who was created specifically to bend ordinary cats to his will and make them serve as spies and saboteurs. The experiment succeeded in giving Krosp human-level intelligence, but the project ultimately failed because ordinary cats couldn't understand him, and they have terrible attention spans anyway.

* Creator/AndreNorton's ''The Beast Master'' novels. Hosteen Storm has telepathic/empathic links with four animal companions - the meerkats Hing and Ho, the African Black Eagle Baku and the sand cat Surra. He regularly uses them as spies/observers.

* Creator/AndreNorton's ''Literature/BeastMaster'' novels. Hosteen Storm has telepathic/empathic links with four animal companions - the meerkats Hing and Ho, the African Black Eagle Baku and the sand cat Surra. He regularly uses them as spies/observers.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]
* In ''Anime/ZeroNoTsukaima'':
** DirtyOldMan Osmand uses his familiar, Chuchu, a mouse, to determine what color underwear his secretary is wearing.
** Malicorne uses his owl to deliver messages.

[[AC:Comic Books]]

[[AC:Film]]
* ''Film/GForce'' has sentient guinea pigs that are spies.
* ''Film/CatsAndDogs'' uses this trope a lot, with the cats as villainous spies and the dogs as heroic secret agents.
* In ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', Belloq and the Nazis employ a monkey to try and spy on Indy. It doesn't entirely work, since the monkey eats a poison date, which in turn causes Sallah to stop Indy doing the same, thus saving his life.
* In ''Film/TheFifthElement'', one of [[TheDragon Zorg]]'s minions uses a cockroach fitted with a [[IncrediblyObviousBug hilariously conspicuous transmitter]] to spy on the president. The roach also seems to have a brain implant that allows him some rudimentary control over it. The president eventually notices the bug and squashes it, causing painful feedback for the listener. (Note that this is a parodical exaggeration. Despite the film being set a few centuries in the future, in real life the technology already exists to do this trick more effectively)
* In the ''Film/LordOfTheRings'' films, the Fellowship takes cover from a massive flock of crows, thinking Saruman is using them as spies.
* ''The Spy With A Cold Nose'' was a British film made in 1966 in which a dog with a radio transmitter in its collar was given as a gift to the Russian Premier.

[[AC:Literature]]
* The book ''Literature/ASentientAnimal'' involves dolphins being used and trained for espionage
* Dean Koontz's 1987 novel ''Watchers'' deals with genetic engineering that uplifts a Golden Retriever named "Einstein" to near-human intelligence for the purpose of espionage.
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', ravens are the typical way to send letters. More extreme examples are wargs, who are basically people that can fall asleep at will and look out the eyes of an animal. It's usually a pet they're very close to, but very talented wargs can become any animal they'd like. Its television adaptation, ''Series/GameOfThrones'', also shows them used for this purpose.
* The dwarfs of Middle Earth in Creator/JRRTolkien's ''Literature/TheHobbit'' find an old crow who once served Thorin's grandfather, as at that time, dwarfs could speak with various birds. Thorin is able to use the crow to get a thorough analysis of the Five Armies marching toward Lonely Mountain: which races, how many, which direction, and distance from target. Bilbo Baggins also hears this report, and it moves him to take remedial action.
* In ''Literature/TheWheelOfTime'' series, [[CreepyCrows ravens, crows]] and rats can be used as spies for [[SatanicArchetype the Dark One]], and as such have bounties in the Borderlands and are generally killed on sight. Generally speaking, they have to report to some manner of [[OurMonstersAreDifferent shadowspawn]], but some more powerful villains can [[AnimalEyeSpy take them over directly]].
* ''Franchise/HarryPotter'': Animagi can turn themselves into animals so as to go around without attracting suspicion as a human, though there's always an element to the disguise that identifies his/her human form. In Rita Skeeter's case, she turns into a literal surveillance bug (a beetle). This causes Bellatrix Lestrange to kill a fox at one point, as she believed it to be an auror... except in this case it genuinely was a fox.
* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': Most of the team's non-combat morphs are for this purpose, and in time manage to get the hang of a morph's senses (especially insects) well enough to understand what's being said. The Yeerks catch on to this, and take great care to kill any insect or animal that enters their facilities.
* Referred to in passing, and for comedy, during the ''Literature/AlexRider'' series. Joe Byrne claims that the CIA tried installing a cat in the Korean embassy with a bugged collar, but the Koreans ate it. Byrne being Byrne, it's not clear if he was joking.
* In ''Discworld/GuardsGuards'', Patrician Vetinari somehow manages to make an arrangement with the rats after being imprisoned. In return for him helping them, they will bring him news as to what is happening, both in terms of papers and gossip. It's implied that they were a result of the Unseen University's experiments, which is how they are so useful.
* This is the reason that Jabberjays were created in ''Literature/TheHungerGames''. People figured this out, though, and began giving the birds [[RedHerring Red Herrings]] to throw off President Snow.
* In the ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, the creatively-named ability of Animal Mindspeech is frequently used this way, allowing its users to take advantage of an AnimalEyeSpy and sometimes even direct the animals to the appropriate place first.
* Creator/AndreNorton's ''Literature/BeastMaster'' novels. Hosteen Storm has telepathic/empathic links with four animal companions - the meerkats Hing and Ho, the African Black Eagle Baku and the sand cat Surra. He regularly uses them as spies/observers.

[[AC:Live Action TV]]
* An inventor attaches surveillance equipment to animals, in order to identify the spies at the school in the ''Series/MIHigh'' episode "Spy Animals".
* In ''Series/TerraNova'', a dragonfly is used like a carrier pigeon taking chips that contain information to spies in Taylor's Colony.
* ''Series/MissionImpossible'': In "Chico", the IMF must rely on a trained terrier, named Chico, to retrieve a list of undercover agents from a drug lord's underground vault.

[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
* In the ''Franchise/StarWars RPG'' sourcebook, "Cracken's Rebel Operatives", Moff Jarnek's CoolPet Daerlar is a Covallon. Because Covallon walk on all fours, it isn't widely known that they're a fully sentient race. Dearlar chooses to keep this fact secret from his "master" in order to spy on Jarnek's guests.

[[AC:VideoGames]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'', the Zerg can insert a parasite into any unit (including neutral animals) that allows them to see that unit through the FogOfWar. It's of limited use where critters are involved (since they wander around aimlessly), but it sometimes allows getting early warning of an attack.
* ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII:'' The Night Elf Huntress' Sentinel ability puts an owl spirit in a tree where it will continue to provide vision of the area until the tree is cut down. The Priestess of the Moon can summon an unkillable owl to fly around and spy on and detect enemies. The Beastmaster's Hawk summon serves the same purpose, except it can be attacked, eventually becomes invisible and can attack enemies.

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
* Perry the platypus, from ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', is secretly Agent P of the Organization Without a Cool Acronym. All other agents in the OWCA are also animals (and on at least one occasion, a potted plant).

[[AC:Real Life]]
* Vultures are claimed to have been used by Israel to spy on Saudi Arabia. The vulture allegedly had transmitters attached to it. [[http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/27/middleeast/israel-vulture-lebanon-spy/ Lebanon would later hold a different bird on the same charge]]. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel-related_animal_conspiracy_theories This is far from]] [[http://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/sep/02/egypt-spying-stork-animal-espionage the only accusation]] of such activity, although RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement applies.
* The CIA tried this with a cat once to listen in on some Soviet agents' conversation through a radio receiver in its tail. The cat however ran into traffic and got ran over.
* The town of Hartlepool, England supposedly once found a monkey as the sole survivor of a shipwreck during the Napoleonic Wars. Believing the monkey to be a French spy due to its French uniform (having seen neither a monkey nor a Frenchman before) after trialling it on the beach, they hanged it. [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_hanger Hartlepudlians have had a seriously bad case of]] NeverLiveItDown as a result, with some [[InsultBackfire embracing the term "monkey hangers"]] and others cringing.
* The RAF [[http://strangevehicles.greyfalcon.us/Nazi%20Pigeon.htm is alleged to have trained falcons]] in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII for animal ''counter''espionage, specifically to deal with German messenger pigeons.

* Uncle Sam, the trusty CanineCompanion to [[ComicBook/GoldenEyesAndHerHeroBill Golden Eyes]], can be counted among the ranks of animal spies. In the span of an evening he alerts American troops to the position of an American [=POW=] in a German camp, ferries secret messages between Golden Eyes and the American side, knocks out the German officer who threatened Golden Eyes, and makes sure that the intelligence Golden Eyes stole from the unconscious officer gets back to the allies. [[HeroicDog Good boy!]]

Spying on people is an activity carried out by humans, but it can also be carried out by animals. These animal can have implants allowing for communication, be sentient or not sentient, and maybe even have chips that allow you to record what they see. The animals can be trained, used as tools by the humans or could be doing it for their own purposes.

* ''Franchise/HarryPotter'': Animagi can turn themselves into animals so as to go around without attracting suspicion as a human, though there's always an element to the disguise that identifies his/her human form. In Rita Skeeter's case, she turns into a literal surveillance bug (a beetle). This causes Bellatrix Lestrange to kill a fox at one point, as she believed it to be an auror... except in this case [[WrongGenreSavvy it genuinely was a fox]].
* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'': Most of the team's non-combat morphs are for this purpose, and in time manage to get the hang of a morph's senses (especially insects) well enough to understand what's being said. The Yeerks grow GenreSavvy about this, and take great care to kill any insect or animal that enters their facilities.