1. The White House Zoo Filled With Raccoons, Lion Cubs And A Pygmy Hippopotamus (Calvin Coolidge)
When Calvin Coolidge arrived in office as the 30th President of the United States (1923-1929) he decided the White House was missing one pivotal attraction - its very own zoo. Among the animals introduced into the zoo were Billy the pygmy hippopotamus, Smoky the aggressive bobcat (a lynx), a wallaby, a black bear, a duiker (or tiny antelope), and two raccoons named Rebecca and Horace. Most infamously, though, Coolidge kept two lion cubs named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau - who were known to run around and play in the grounds of the White House, scaring passers-by no doubt...