Anyone with a pet can tell you that animals aren't cheap. All animals cost money, but some of them cost crazy money. From albino crocodiles, to half a million dollar dogs, here are the 10 most expensive animals in the world.
- Amazing!
Number 10: Tibetan Mastiff.
Dogs are a man's best friend and are priced accordingly. Pedigree breeds have long been expensive purchases, but the Tibetan Mastiff, which sells for an average price of $500,000, takes the biscuit, if you'll excuse the pun. In fairness, the Tibetan Mastiff has a lot to recommend it. Amongst the biggest dogs alive, the Tibetan Mastiff is so loyal it was traditionally used to protect flocks of farm animals from predators and took the duty pretty seriously, given the reported cases of Tibetan Mastiffs killing tigers. That's why they are highly prized in China where they have a very strong cultural heritage. The market for mastiffs in china is so large that - - get this -- it's estimated to generate around 250 to 300 million U.S. dollars a year. To put that in perspective, that's a tenth of the Chinese music industry, which generates an estimated $33,000,000. Then there's Sir Lancelot Encoreand and Cap the Sheepdog, which deserve a mention in the expensive dogs category. Sir Lancelot looks like a pretty average dog but the Encore in his name alludes to the irregularity that prices him at $155,000. That's what his owners had to pay to clone a dog they were so fond of they could only replace him with an exact replica. Cap the Sheepdog was a comparative steal at a mere $16,000 and was priced purely on the strength of his ability. According to his breeder, the Northern Irish collie "is a special dog "with genuine power and has a calming effect on sheep." It's fair to say that today, prices of dogs have gone through the woof!
Number 9 : Green Monkey.
How can a monkey cost $16 million you might say? The answer is it can't. Green Monkey is a horse and, as his price tag suggests, no ordinary horse. Descended from prize-winning racehorse stock, Green Monkey became the subject of a ferocious bidding war in 2006 that ultimately drove his price up to $16,000,000. Given that he was descended from Kentucky Derby champions, bidders assumed that Green Monkey would became a lucrative race-winner himself, but the horse never lived up to expectations on the track, failing to win a single race of significance. Oops. Then there are Arabian horses, which, at a mere $100,000 a pop, you might consider a safer bet. Considered by many to be the most regal horse around, Arabian horses are known for their beauty and friendliness and are one of the oldest known breeds of horses. A royal lineage amounts to a royal price.
Number 8: Miss Missy.
Cows aren't known for their intelligence and it might be just as well they aren't quick on the uptake. They'd watch humans fawning over horses in the next field, brushing their tails and galloping them around, and wonder why the only time they get any individual attention is when they're shipped to the abattoir. Some cows get the attention they deserve and no cow has had the same level of attention as Miss Missy, a Holstein Cow of such prize-winning beauty. She fetched $1.2 million at auction. Miss Missy may not have a great name, but at least she has a name - you know, as opposed to only a tag bolted through her ear with a processing number to identify her. In 2009, she even added a distinction to her name. She is now Miss Missy, 2009 Western Fall National Show North America's Grand Champion. If only all cows could enjoy such a distinction.
Number 7: Stag Beetle.
No one, but no one, you might say, would pay any significant amount of money for an insect. In fact, if you heard someone say they'd shelled out a substantial amount of cash in relation to an insect, you'd assume they were paying pest controllers to come and gas them. Stag beetles, however, are no ordinary insect. Their trademark antlers and impressive scale - between two to three inches - have proven to be of such interest to collectors that some lunatic - sorry, beetle enthusiast - paid the princely sum of $89,000 to purchase a stag beetle. Let's hope it never escaped from its enclosure. Imagine feeling that unique combination of crunch and squish beneath your shoes and realizing you had 100 grand worth of dead beetle on your sole.
Number 6: Palm Cockatoo
. Birds have plenty of fans. Given the popularity of bird watching worldwide, it's perhaps not too much of a surprise that people are willing to shell out thousands for some of the most colorful birds around. The palm cockatoo is the world's most valuable bird - - no mean achievement given that there are around 10,000 types of birds in the world. The cockatoo's curved beak, large crest and the distinctive red mark on its head are among the features that earn it an average price of $16,000 and make it such a treasure for enthusiasts. There's the Hyacinth Macawalso, which also has its admirers. The world's biggest flying parrot attracts an average price of $14,000 and has a beak so strong it can crack coconut shells. Perhaps best to admire it from a safe distance then. Toucan's don't do too badly in the market either. Their beautiful, multi-coloured beaks, infused with the tropical splendor of the jungle, help them fetch prices of up to $8,000.
Number 5: De Brazza's Monkey.
De Brazza's Monkey, also known as swamp monkeys, are curious looking characters. A snowy, Santa Claus beard dominates the lower part of their face. They've also got a quiff that crowns their head, which wouldn't look out of place in a hair gel commercial. The monkeys can be found in the wetlands of Central Africa, if you're good at hide and seek, that is. These monkeys are one of the most elusive simians around and rarely venture out of cover. Perhaps that's why they cost between seven and 10 thousand dollars. Chimpanzee's are even more expensive. You can expect to shell out more than $60,000 for an animal that shares 98% of its DNA with humans, but be wary of joining those who think that genetic affinity amounts to the guarantee of a good pet -- there are numerous reported cases of chimps savagely attacking their owners.
Number 4: White Lion Cubs.
Lions are known as the kings of the animal world, so you'd expect them to cost a pretty penny. If you'd like to own a white lions, the rarest and most beautiful lions around (there are only 300 in the whole world) so obviously you can expect to pay even more. White lion cubs are worth an estimated $140,000 dollars. Many will question why you'd want to own something that will grow up and try to eat you, but they obviously haven't seen pictures of white lion cubs. Is there anything cuter? If you're feeling more sensible and still have 50 grand to spare, why not plump for a Savannah cat to fulfil your need for feline company? Often compared to dogs due to their friendliness, Savannah cats should make for a less dangerous pet. There are also Ashera cats with the price to match. $15,000 to $100,000 is a typical price you'd pay for one of these. Let's hope you get the affection you've paid for.
Number 3: Pandas.
Pandas are the poster child for endangered species worldwide. Looking at their big wide eyes and cuddly toy fur would make anyone lament humankind's destructive impact on animal habitats, even though panda numbers are partially threatened because they can't be bothered having sex. Pandas are so valuable China have been known to use them as sweeteners for trade deals. There you were thinking China was the fastest-growing economy in the world due to its booming population and ability to manufacture products. Actually, they're raking in the bucks by renting out pandas. Worldwide zoos pay millions a year to rent pandas. San Diego Zoo alone has paid $46,000,000 for pandas since 1996. That equates to over half a million a year to rend out a pair of pandas. Perhaps pandas will be floated on the stock market next.
Number 2: Texel rams.
Herd animals rarely get the attention they deserve. Sheep, like cows, spend most of their life crowded into a field, left to get on with the serious business of eating as much grass as it takes to get fat enough for slaughter. Some sheep are so special, however, that they can't help but stand out. Deveronvale Perfection, a texel ram, fetched almost £250,000 in 2009 when he was purchased by Scottish farmer Jimmy Douglas at an auction in Lanark. Remarkably, it's been suggested that Douglas will turn a profit on the transaction. John Yates of the Texel Sheep Society pointed out that a texel ram called Tophill Joe had earned £1,000,000 in stud fees. "A lot of people see these animals as lamb chops," Yates said, "but these flocks are "at the top of the genetic pile. "This was the elite animal that stood out."
Number 1: Albino Reptiles.
People seem to have a thing for albino reptiles. For example a white, albino snake with yellow scales and red eyes. No, $40,000 isn't how much you'd pay someone to keep the lavender albino ball python as far away from you as possible, it's how much people are prepared to pay for rare snakes that appear as a result of recessive genes. Then there are albino crocodiles. Crocodiles are pretty chilling at the best of times, those primeval eyes rising above the water like periscopes to pick out their prey, but pale crocs are even more terrifying. If someone were to tell you that Kim Kardashian and Victoria Beckham have a keen interest in albino crocodiles, you'd probably think they'd lost their mind, but both celebrities have shelled out around $100,000 for the privilege of getting close to albino crocodiles. Fashion brand Hermes breed albino crocodiles for a very specific purpose - making diamond encrusted crocodile skin handbags that sell for huge prices. The record to date is a sale for £294,000 for a handbag, described by the auction house Christie's as, "the most desirable handbag in existence." All of this seems a little unfair on albino crocodiles. Perhaps if Victoria Beckham, Kim Kardashian, and all the rest of them want to use an animal's skin to carry their make-up around, they should do the dirty work themselves and take up croc wrestling. There's a reality show that would make a mark. How much would you be prepared to pay to own one of the animals in this post? Let me know in the comments section down below. And if you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe for future posts.
No comments:
Post a Comment