Interesting fact:

You might have thought that Pikachu or Bulbasaur were the game’s earliest Pokémon, but according to Ken Sugimori – the primary designer for the Pokémon games – it was Rhydon. It may be entry #112 in the Pokédex, but Rhydon was the first ever created. This explains why you see statues of Rhydon in some of the games; they’re a tribute to its importance.