Sjupp was a raccoon kept as a pet by Adolf Frederick and later by Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus.[1]

Sjupp
Illustration of Sjupp
SpeciesRaccoon
BornNew Sweden
Died1747
Linnaean Garden, Uppsala, Sweden
OwnerCarl Linnaeus
(originally Adolf Fredrik)
ResidenceA small zoo in the Royal Gardens, Stockholm (until 1746)
Linnaean Garden, Uppsala (1746, until death)

According to Linnaeus, Sjupp liked eggs, almonds, raisins, cakes, sugar and various fruits. Sometimes he would capture food from the pockets of Linnaeus' students. He hated sour foods such as vinegar. He was very friendly to people he knew, but would be cruel to people he hated. Linnaeus' gardener once had a conflict with him, and Sjupp would scream every time he smelled him. Sjupp died in a fight with a dog. Linnaeus dissected Sjupp's body to improve his understanding in raccoons. The description of raccoon in Systema Naturae was based partly on the observations and dissection of Sjupp.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "The Raccoon Called Sjupp". The Linnean Society. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  2. ^ Nicholls, Henry (2007-03-01). "The royal raccoon from Swedesboro". Nature. 446 (7133): 255–256. doi:10.1038/446255a. ISSN 1476-4687.