Ornamental animal

An ornamental animal is an animal kept for display or curiosity, often in a park. A wide range of mammals, birds and fish have been kept as ornamental animals. Ornamental animals have often formed the basis of introduced populations, sometimes with negative ecological effects, but a history of being kept as ornamental animals has also preserved breeds, types and even species which have become rare or extinct elsewhere.

This article does not cover animals kept in zoos, wildfowl collections or aquaria.

Contents

History

Ornamental animals have been kept for many centuries in several cultures.

Introduced species

Some ornamental animals have escaped from captivity and have formed feral populations.

Conservation

A number of animals have been protected from local or worldwide extinction by being kept as ornamental animals.

List of ornamental animals

The following are breeds or species whose history has included a significant period as ornamental animals, either globally or in particular regions (animals kept primarily in modern zoos, aquaria or waterfowl collections are not included):

Deer

Cattle

Sheep

Goats

Other mammals