Table of Contents
Ancient History’s famous Pet
Cleopatra (69-30BC)
Pet: Nile crocodile and Leopard.
Cleopatra, the last active Ptolemaic ruler of the Kingdom of Egypt, was a woman of luxury and is said to have kept other exotics such as leopards, possibly taken out during hunting expeditions.
Alexander the Great, 356-323 BC
Pet: Bucephalus(Horse)
Even if not considered an exotic pet by current standards, Bucephalus comes as one of the best-known and legendary steeds under Alexander the Great, recognized mainly for a unique bond with the conqueror.
Medieval and Renaissance Periods
King Henry III of England (1207-1272):
Pet: Polar bear.
The King of Norway once gave King Henry III a polar bear. The bear lived at the Tower of London and was allowed to swim and fish in the Thames River.
Lorenzo de Medici (1449-1492)
Pet: Giraffe.
The Sultan of Egypt presented a giraffe to Lorenzo de Medici—ruler of Florence. This animal made a sensation and became one of the first giraffes in Europe.
19th Century
Lord Byron (1788-1824):
Pet: Bear.
The famous poet Lord Byron had a bear while being a student at Cambridge University, this in defiance of a rule that said students at the university were not supposed to have pet dogs.
President Martin Van Buren, (1782-1824)
Animal: Two tiger cubs.
The eighth President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, was given two tiger cubs by the Sultan of Oman. He was ordered by Congress to send them to a zoo.
20th Century
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989):
Pet: Ocelot.
The surrealist artist Salvador Dalí had a pet ocelot named Babou, which he often took along with him to restaurants and while traveling.
Elvis Presley (1935-1977):
Pet: Kangaroo, chimpan.
The King of Rock and Roll had several exotic pets, including a kangaroo and a chimpanzee named Scatter, known for its mischievous behavior.
Contemporary
Mike Tyson (1966-)
Pet: Tigers.
The former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson, was at one time known to own tigers. He had a general affinity for big cats, mostly Bengals, and over the years had not ceased to show remarkable attachment to his tigers, although he finally gave them up.
Michael Jackson (1958-2009)
Pet: Chimpan.
The King of Pop was supposed to have had a pet chimpanzee Bubbles. Bubbles goes along with Jackson most of the time even traveling on tours with him.
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