Nautilus inventor Arthur Jones dies at 80

OCALA, Fla., Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Arthur A. Jones, the inventor of Nautilus exercise equipment and an exotic animal collector, has died in his Ocala, Fla., home at the age of 80.

His son, William Jones, told the Ocala Star-Banner Jones had been unwell for several days and died of natural causes early Tuesday.

He introduced Nautilus equipment in 1970, which used the principle of variable resistance in strength training, and became very wealthy, the report said.

The Arkansas native went on to get his pilot's license and also became an exotic animal importer, the report said. He sold the company in 1986, about the time he founded the exclusive fly-in Jumbolair Aviation Estates in Ocala.

Soon after, he began flying in baby elephants from Zimbabwe, along with alligators, crocodiles and a pet gorilla.

Jones is survived by a son and two daughters.