During her reign The Queen has received many animals as official gifts.

These have included a number of horses, some of which have been used for riding, others for carriage driving. More exotic animals have been cared for at ZSL London and Whipsnade.

Recent animal gifts have often remained in their home country, such as the white Nguni bull presented by the King of the Zulus in South Africa in 1995.

List of animals presented to The Queen

1953 - Arab stallion from King Faisal of Iraq, to commemorate the Coronation

1953 - Arab stallion Alhehal (Crescent Moon) and Arab mare Al Masouda (The Lucky One) from the Imam of Yemen, to commemorate the Coronation

1953- Two polo ponies from President Perón of Argentina, to commemorate the Coronation

1956 – Akhel-Teke golden dun stallion Mele-Kush (Dun Bird) from Chairman Bulganin and General Secretary Krushchev of the Soviet Union. They also presented Prince Charles with a Karabakh golden dun stallion Zaman and Princess Anne with a three-month-old bear Nikki, who was housed at ZSL London Zoo

1956- Two trumpeter swans from British Columbia, Canada, sent to WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire

1957 – Lusitano stallion Buçaco from the Government of Portugal, along with a saddle, headcollar, bridle and martingale from President Lopes of Portugal. The saddle is on view in the European display in the Green Drawing Room. Buçaco is used as a riding horse.

1957 – Jersey cow Beauchamp Oxford Lady from the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society. The cow is sent to the royal dairy herd at Windsor. 

1959 – Two polo ponies and a Thoroughbred bay gelding Sultan from General Ayub Khan of Pakistan. Sultan is used as a riding horse.

1961 – Two pygmy hippopotami from President Tubman of Liberia, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1961- Young Nile crocodile Mansa from the People of Berending on the Gambia River, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1963 – Pig from the People of Fiji, remained on Fiji

1963 – Four bare-eyed cockatoos, two white Bennett's wallabies and one dwarf cassowary from Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1968 – One sloth and two black jaguars Marques and Aizita from the Prefect of Brasília, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1969 – Black mare Burmese from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Burmese is used as a riding horse, carrying The Queen to Trooping the Colour between 1969 and 1986. She otherwise serves as a Metropolitan Police horse.

1969 – Two Haflinger ponies from President Jonas of Austria, sent to Balmoral Castle.

1970 – Two American beavers and an Arctic fox from Hudson's Bay Company, Canada, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1972 – Two young Aldabra giant tortoises from the Government and People of the Seychelles, sent to ZSL London Zoo

1972 – African forest elephant Jumbo from President Ahidjo of Cameroon. He was flown back to Britain, the in-flight meal being fed bananas, avocados and sugar, and weighed 589kg on arrival. He was sent to ZSL London Zoo and then to the rural zoo at Whipsnade.

1973 – Black gelding Centenial from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Centenial is used as a riding horse, including by President Reagan of the United States during his official visit to the United Kingdom in 1982. He otherwise serves as a Metropolitan Police Horse. He is named to commemorate the centenary of the RCMP.

1974 – Pig from the People of the Vanuatu (then the New Hebrides) during The Queen's official visit to Vanuatu, remained on the island

1976 – Two black swans, two toco Toucans, two red billed Toucans, two Ariel toucans, two giant anteaters, one Linne's two-toed sloth and one giant armadillo from President Artur da Costa e Silva of Brazil. The swans were sent to WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, the other birds and animals to ZSL London Zoo.

1977 – Six red kangaroos, two Brolga cranes and one fat-tailed dunnart from the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens, Australia, to commemorate The Queen's Silver Jubilee, sent to ZSL London Zoo.

1977 – Bay racing filly Australia Fair from the Government and People of Australia, born in 1977 to commemorate The Queen's Silver Jubilee and presented to her in 1980 during an official visit to Australia. She is sent to Sandringham.

1978 -  Jersey cow Ansom Dienette from the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society. The cow is sent to the royal dairy herd at Windsor.

1978 – One Oldenburg horse and one Holsteiner from President Walter Scheel of the Federal Republic of Germany during The Queen's State Visit to Germany, used as carriage horses.

1979 – Danish horse from the Agricultural Council of Denmark, Copenhagen during The Queen's State Visit to Denmark, used as a carriage horse.

1980 – Thoroughbred bay filly Asnoura from King Hassan of Morocco during The Queen's State Vsiit to Morocco, sent to Sandringham.

1982 – Bay gelding Valentine from Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands during her State Visit to the United Kingdom, used as a carriage horse.

1983 – Swedish Warmblood horse from the Swedish Warmblood Society during The Queen's State Visit to Sweden, used as a carriage horse. 

1995 – White Nguni bull from King of Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu of the Zulus during The Queen's State Visit to South Africa, remains in South Africa. 

1998 – Black gelding James from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, used as a riding horse. 

2005 – Aberdeen Angus cow from the Calgary Stampede during The Queen's official visit to Canada, remains in Calgary as the Foundation Cow for the Calgary Stampede Centennial Herd

2008 – Lippizaner grey stallion Favory Canissa XXII from President of Slovenia during The Queen's State Visit to Slovenia, remains in Slovenia 

2009 – Black gelding George from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the RCMP Long Service Medal, which was approved by King George V, after whom he is named.

2012 – Black mare Elizabeth from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to commemorate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. She is named for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

2016 – Black gelding Sir John from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to commemorate The Queen's 90th Birthday. He is named for Sir John MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister.