(V)IPs Zoos

n this section I will try and give some background of persons who, in my personal view, deserve appreciation for their efforts, importance and influence in the development of animal collections, menageries and zoos through the ages. The selection of persons is not meant to be an exhaustive overview. I selected persons who stand out for different reasons. They may have been world conquerors who brought back with them from their campaigns exotic animals. Or they may have been rich nobleman showing off their wealth by creating their own menageries of exotic animals. Or people involved in trade of these animals, or founders of zoos. There can be more and peculiar reasons, but eventually my personal interest will deliver a list of persons who, at least most of them, have one thing in common: their care for nature, especially animals, and its sustainability. Therefore, the brief biographies are mainly focused on the part of the (v)ip's life which had something to do with collecting animals.