In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to assign a monetary value to animals, as many of these elegant and innocent creatures just want to live their lives in peace and without human intervention. However, when talking about domestic animals and ones used for showmanship such as horses, the fact that they are expensive is actually a boon.
Some of the world’s most expensive animals can end up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions. Today, we’re going to have a look at the 5 most expensive ones, and we’ll find out exactly why they cost so much.
1. Green Monkey – The world’s most expensive thoroughbred horse sold at auction.
Foaled on February 4, 2004, The Green Monkey was an American Thoroughbred racehorse with a direct genetic lineage to Secretariat and Northern Dancer. This is officially the world’s most expensive thoroughbred ever sold at auction as he fetched a price of no less than $16 million.
Obviously, his exceptional price was justified by his incredible racing prowess. However, some horses become more valuable and more expensive due to their looks alone, such as the rare true blue roan horses or the even rarer white ones.
In Green Monkey’s case, he was a bay colt with a white blaze and two white socks. He officially retired on February 12, 2008, after failing to break his maiden in his three career starts, and he was euthanized in May 2018 due to laminitis. Still, the record for the most expensive horse of his breed ever sold at auction stands to this day.
2. Racing pigeons.
Pigeons are all over the place in many of the world’s largest cities. However, what most people don’t know is that the right pigeon can actually fetch an enormous price tag. Now, don’t think that you can go about rounding up pigeons and making a fortune. We’re talking about racing pigeons here, the kind that can cover thousands of miles at speed.
If you’re thinking about getting into the racing pigeon game, be prepared to pay top dollar for one of these elite birds. Back in 2019, a racing pigeon was sold for no less than $1.4 million in China. However, these birds can also cost around $200,000 apiece. At least that’s the starting bid price for most of them.
3. Big Splash the Tibetan Mastiff.
Tibetan Mastiffs are generally expensive in their own right, but one of these dogs actually set a record and became the world’s most expensive dog when it was bought by a Chinese businessman for $1.6 million.
The purchase took place at a luxury pet fare, and the owner justified this extravagance by pointing out the dog’s rarity and incredible pedigree. Apparently, pure Tibetan Mastiffs are very rare. A normal Tibetan would usually set you back around $2,000, but this one must have been really special to command more than half a million.
4. The Hyacinth Macaw.
The world’s most expensive parrot is none other than the regal-looking Hyacinth Macaw. Due to its beautiful plumage and generous size, this parrot is the world’s most expensive, as one would set you back around $40,000. However, we wouldn’t actually encourage you to buy one, as you’d likely be contributing to this beautiful bird’s downfall.
You see, Hyacinth Macaws are listed as vulnerable, as their population continues to decline. Because of their high price, at least 10,000 of these beautiful birds were taken from their natural habitats for illegal trade. If you have the opportunity to buy such a bird, consider releasing it to a proper sanctuary so that it may one day go back to the wild.
5. The Ashera cat breed.
Cats are some of the world’s most popular pets, but regular cat breeds are just too common for some of the world’s elite. That’s why they’re willing to spend ridiculous amounts of money in order to be in the company of rare cat breeds such as the Ashera. One of these beautiful cats will set you back between $22,000 and $125,000. Why? Because they’re incredibly rare and exclusive, and because they’re bred by a California-based company named Lifestyle pets.
This cat is basically a mix between the African Serval, the Asian Leopard, and the domestic house cat. Its coat has both leopard spots and tiger stripes, which does look quite eye-catching if we’re being honest. This cat can weigh in at around 30 lbs, and it can live up to 25 years. It really is one of the world’s most expensive animals, and one of the most beautiful as well.
The post These Are the 5 Most Expensive Animals in the World appeared first on Luxefeed Magazine.
