What was the first living creature in space?

The story behind the answer

Fruit flies were the first living creatures in space, launched by the United States on a V-2 rocket in 1947 to study the effects of cosmic radiation. The rocket reached above the Kármán line (about 100 km/62 miles), and the flies were recovered alive—crucial proof that living organisms could survive short exposures to space conditions. Monkeys (Albert II) followed in 1949, and the dog Laika orbited in 1957; mice came later.

Why fruit flies? They’re tiny, easy to transport