The Medici Giraffe by Marina Belozerskaya: book review

The Medici Giraffe: And Other Tales of Exotic Animals and Power (2006) is a seven part documentary of the captivity, transportation, and aristocratic collections of exotic animals, from 275 BC Egypt to the 1970s. It moves from story to story, incorporating elephants, giraffes, the Roman gladiatorial arenas, menageries in 16^th and 17^th century Prague, to the Chinese government’s gift of two giant pandas to America in 1972.

My favourite chapter is “The Black Swans of Malmaison” in which Belozerskaya details Josephine Bonaparte’s plant and animal collection in 18^th century Paris. It relates Nicolas Baudin’s neck and neck race to the southern continent, Australia, with British explorer Matthew Flinders. Her husband, Napoleon, “who had a weakness for Australia, readily approved the venture.” Of the 118 men on board the ship bound for Australia, 22 were scientists: 5 zoologists, 3 botanists, 5 horticulturists, 2 mineralogists, 2 astronomers, 2 hydrologists, and 3 scientific artists. Due to “jumping ship” to seek employment on other vessels and islands, and due to sickness on the long sea voyage, only 13 scientists completed the journey.

The scientists collected 150 species from Australia: 2 black swans, 2 dingoes, 20 kangaroos, 4 emus, 2 wombats, and various other animals and birds. Only 73 survived the return voyage to France, and 50 of them were given to Josephine Bonaparte (while the remaining 23 went to the Museum of Natural History in Paris). Emus were Josephine’s least beloved creatures and she swiftly gave them to the Museum. Hoping to breed kangaroos, Josephine attempted and failed. However, the two black swans became Josephine’s success story. She was the first to breed them in captivity as they wandered freely about the grounds of Malmaison. The swans outlived her.

Included in the book is the history behind American William Randolph Hearst’s private collection of lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, an elephant, tigers, African porcupines, bears, and about 1,500 birds. The epilogue documents China’s gift of two pandas to the National Zoo in Washington DC as symbols of their renewed friendship with America in 1972. For Michael Jackson fans, there is no mention of his famous collection of animals.

Belozerskaya focuses on a small collection of stories throughout history, and only those of the rich and powerful – predominantly royals. She begins in ancient Alexandria and ends in modern-day America, as she seeks to answer wider questions on people’s fascination with exotic animals, given as diplomatic gifts, cherished as royal treasures, and symbols of friendship, but also of power. The author states: “By pondering the relationships we have had with them across the centuries, we may discover something about ourselves.”