The Animals

[thistledown]

Many animals have been seen on the island, but some seem obviously more mysterious than others. A tree frog or a boar are certainly not out of place on a Pacific island, the other animals have been theorized about a lot.

Spoiler:

The orientation films mention a zoological aspect to the Dharma Initiative's work and that seems to account for the polar bears, the kea-esque bird, perhaps even the shark.

However, both the black horse and the polar bears were seen by Fusies BEFORE being encountered on the island. The black horse was shown in an episode as being seen by Kate before in her past.
Walt's stuffed polar bear has been mentioned on this forum, but remember that there was also the comic book he was reading right after the crash - I think it was in Spanish. The comic featured a polar bear.

Perhaps these animals are manifesting on the island from people's memories?

Spoiler:

like the images from Eko's past that were moving through the black smoke as it stared him down.

So who is "thinking" about the monsters?


AT

[Metarock Sam]

Think about it for a second we found out about the Zoological place in the orientation film (which is quite old) suggesting that there has been the animals there longer than the Losties so they cant be conjoured up.
i think this has been discussed before.....

[thistledown]

Think about it for a second we found out about the Zoological place in the orientation film (which is quite old) suggesting that there has been the animals there longer than the Losties so they cant be conjoured up.
i think this has been discussed before.....

I apologize if it has been discussed. I tried to be thourough, but could not find it. Of course, as I mentioned, there IS a referance to a zoological division of research, which would explain many of the animals, but my point was that perhaps it does not explain them all.

The island has a history of seeming to "facilitate" hallucinations from people's past. But are they hallucinations?

Spoiler:

Both Eko AND Locke saw Eko's brother in a "dream".
Likewise, both the black horse and the polar bears are from people's lives before the island.

Just as someone elsewhere hypothesised that perhaps we have seen the "black smoke" more often than we think we have - perhaps not ALL the animals can be explained away as "some zoological experiment". Perhaps there is more meaning to some animals that to others.

Spoiler:

Perhaps in some form, the black smoke IS the monster - or by extension - the black horse, etc.

AT

[Metarock Sam]

Im with that theory which is the belief that Smokey the monster is manifesting itself in dreams and the like. Now with the horse I doubt it was an illusion since Kate touched it. (but then you can argue that Dave has able to touch Hurley too).
Perhaps this will be revealed more later in the show.