Did you know that many countries have a national animal?
These animals are often revered and considered symbols of the nation. They can be found on flags, coins, art, and other forms of currency.
There are many reasons why countries might choose to have a national animal. Some animals might be chosen because they are symbols of strength or courage. Others may be chosen because they are associated with the country’s culture or history. Whatever the reason, these animals often play a significant role in the nation’s identity.
Countries with Common National Animals
The most common shared animal is the Lion. Some countries have this animal purely as a heraldic symbol, others have different subspecies of Lion.
The African Lion is shared by 11 countries:
- England
- Ethiopia
- The Gambia
- Kenya
- Libya
- Luxembourg
- Morocco
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- Togo
Countries with Multiple National Animals
Pakistan, Finland, India, and Mexico each have more than four national animals. Pakistan has six distinct animals and is the only country with a national predator; the Snow leopard. Some countries have national dog breeds, national birds and national reptiles.
List of National Animals
| Country | Name of animal | Scientific name |
| Afghanistan | Snow leopard | Panthera uncia |
| Albania | Golden eagle (national bird) | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Algeria | Fennec fox | Vulpes zerda |
| Angola | Red-crested turaco (national bird) | Tauraco erythrolophus |
| Anguilla | Zenaida dove | Zenaida aurita |
| Antigua and Barbuda | European fallow deer (national animal) | Dama dama |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Frigate (national bird) | Fregata magnificens |
| Antigua and Barbuda | Hawksbill turtle (national sea creature) | Eretmochelys imbricata |
| Argentina | Rufous hornero | Furnarius rufus |
| Australia | Red kangaroo (national animal) | Osphranter rufus |
| Australia | Emu (national bird) | Dromaius novaehollandiae |
| Azerbaijan | Karabakh horse (national horse) | Equus caballus |
| Bahamas | Blue marlin (national fish) | Makaira nigricans |
| Bahamas | Flamingo (national bird) | Phoenicopterus ruber |
| Bangladesh | Bengal Tiger (national animal) | Panthera tigris tigris |
| Bangladesh | Magpie robin (national bird) | Copsychus saularis |
| Bangladesh | Ilish (national fish) | Tenualosa ilisha |
| Botswana | Plains zebra | Equus quagga |
| Belize | Baird’s tapir (national animal) | Tapirus bairdii |
| Belize | Keel-billed toucan (national bird) | Ramphastos sulfuratus |
| Brazil | Rufous-bellied thrush (national bird) | Turdus rufiventris |
| Cambodia | Kouprey (national mammal) | Bos sauveli |
| Cambodia | Giant ibis (national bird) | Pseudibis gigantea |
| Cambodia | Northern river terrapin (national reptile) | Batagur baska |
| Cambodia | Giant barb (national fish) | Catlocarpio siamensis |
| Canada | North American beaver (national animal) | Castor canadensis |
| Canada | Canadian horse (national horse) | Equus caballus |
| Chile | Huemul (national animal) | Hippocamelus bisulcus |
| Chile | Andean condor (national bird) | Vultur gryphus |
| Costa Rica | Yigüirro (national bird) | Turdus grayi |
| Costa Rica | White-tailed deer (national animal) | Odocoileus virginianus |
| Costa Rica | West Indian manatee (national aquatic animal) | Trichechus manatus |
| Costa Rica | Three-toed sloth and Two-toed sloth | Choloepus hoffmanni and Bradypus variegatus |
| Croatia | Pine marten | Martes martes |
| Cuba | Cuban trogon | Priotelus temnurus |
| Denmark | Red squirrel (national mammal) | Sciurus vulgaris |
| Denmark | Mute swan (national bird) | Cygnus olor |
| Denmark | Small tortoiseshell (national butterfly) | Aglais urticae |
| Dominican Republic | Palmchat | Dulus dominicus |
| El Salvador | Torogoz (national bird) | Eumomota superciliosa |
| Estonia | Grey wolf (national mammal) | Canis lupus |
| Estonia | Barn swallow (national bird) | Hirundo rustica |
| Faroe Islands | Eurasian oystercatcher (national bird) | Haematopus ostralgus |
| Finland | Brown bear (national animal) | Ursus arctos |
| Finland | Whooper swan (national bird) | Cygnus cygnus |
| Finland | Holly blue (national butterfly) | Celastrina argiolus |
| Finland | European perch (national fish) | Perca fluviatilis |
| Finland | Seven-spot ladybird (national insect) | Coccinella septempunctata |
| France | Gallic rooster | Gallus gallus domesticus |
| Guatemala | Quetzal | Pharomachrus mocinno |
| Guyana | Jaguar | Panthera onca |
| Haiti | Hispaniolan trogon | Priotelus roseigaster |
| Honduras | White-tailed deer | Odocoileus virginianus |
| Iceland | Gyrfalcon | Falco rusticolus |
| India | Tiger (national animal) | Panthera tigris |
| India | Indian peafowl (national bird) | Pavo cristatus |
| India | Ganges river dolphin (national aquatic animal) | Platanista gangetica |
| India | Indian elephant (national heritage animal) | Elephas maximus indicus |
| Indonesia | Komodo dragon (national animal) | Varanus komodoensis |
| Indonesia | Javan hawk-eagle (national bird) | Nisaetus bartelsi |
| Indonesia | Asian arowana (national fish) | Scleropages aureus |
| Iran | Asiatic lion | Panthera leo leo |
| Iran | Persian Leopard | Panthera pardus tulliana |
| Iran | Asiatic cheetah | Acinonyx jubatus venaticus |
| Israel | Eurasian hoopoe (national bird) | Upupa epops |
| Israel | Palestine viper (national snake) | Daboia palaestinae |
| Israel | Canaan dog (national dog) | Canis familiaris |
| Israel | Common black scorpion (national scorpion) | Nebo hierichonticus |
| Italy | Italian wolf | C. l. italicus |
| Jamaica | Red-billed streamertail | Trochilus polytmus |
| Jordan | Arabian oryx (national animal) | Oryx leucoryx |
| Jordan | Sinai rosefinch (national bird) | Carpodacus synoicus |
| Latvia | White wagtail (national bird) | Motacilla alba |
| Latvia | Two-spotted ladybird (national insect) | Adalia bipunctata |
| Lebanon | Striped hyena (national animal) | Hyaena hyaena |
| Lithuania | White stork | Ciconia ciconia |
| Malaysia | Malayan tiger (national animal) | Panthera tigris tigris |
| Macau | Black-faced spoonbill (national animal) | Platalea minor |
| Mexico | Golden eagle (national animal) | Aquila chrysaetos |
| Mexico | Xoloitzcuintli (national dog) | Canis familiaris |
| Mexico | Chapulin (national arthropod) | Sphenarium purpurascens |
| Mexico | Ocelot (national feline) | Leopardus pardalis |
| Mexico | Axolotl (national amphibian) | Ambystoma mexicanum |
| Morocco | Barbary lion | Panthera leo leo |
| Nepal | Zebu cattle (national animal) | Bos indicus |
| Nepal | Danphe (national bird) | Lophophorus impejanus |
| Netherlands | Lion (heraldic symbol) | Panthera leo |
| Netherlands | Black-tailed godwit (national bird) | Limosa limosa |
| New Zealand | Kiwi | Apteryx sp. |
| Nicaragua | Guardabarranco (National bird) | Eumomota superciliosa |
| Norway | Lion (royal national animal) | Panthera leo |
| Norway | White-throated dipper (national bird) | Cinclus cinclus |
| Norway | Fjord horse (national horse) | Equus caballus |
| Oman | Arabian oryx (national animal) | Oryx leucoryx |
| Pakistan | Markhor (national animal) | Capra falconeri |
| Pakistan | Indus river dolphin (national aquatic mammal) | Platanista minor |
| Pakistan | Chukar (national bird) | Alectoris chukar |
| Pakistan | Mugger crocodile (national reptile) | Crocodylus palustris |
| Pakistan | Shaheen falcon (heritage bird) | Falco peregrinus peregrinator |
| Pakistan | Snow leopard (national predator) | Panthera uncia |
| Palestine | Palestine sunbird (national bird) | Cinnyris osea |
| Panama | Harpy eagle | Harpia harpyja |
| Papua New Guinea | Dugong (national marine mammal) | Dugong dugon |
| Peru | Vicuña (national animal) | Lama vicugna |
| Philippines | Philippine eagle (national bird) | Pithecophaga jefferyi |
| Poland | White-tailed eagle (national bird) | Haliaeetus albicilla |
| Qatar | Arabian oryx | Oryx leucoryx |
| Romania | Lynx | Lynx lynx |
| Russia | Eurasian brown bear (national animal) | Ursus arctos arctos |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Saint Vincent amazon | Amazona guildingii |
| Saudi Arabia | Dromedary (national animal) | Camelus dromedarius |
| Serbia | Grey wolf | Canis lupus lupus |
| Singapore | Lion | Panthera leo |
| Sierra Leone | Western chimpanzee | Pan troglodytes verus |
| Slovenia | White Lipizzaner stallions (national animal) | Equus ferus caballus |
| Slovenia | Olm | Proteus anguinus |
| Slovenia | Carniolan honey bee | Apis mellifera carnica |
| Somalia | Leopard | Panthera pardus |
| South Africa | Springbok (national animal) | Antidorcas marsupialis |
| South Africa | Blue crane (national bird) | Anthropoides paradiseus |
| South Africa | Galjoen (national fish) | Dichistius capensis |
| South Korea | Siberian tiger | Panthera tigris altaica |
| Sri Lanka | Grizzled giant squirrel (national animal) | Ratufa macroura |
| Sri Lanka | Sri Lankan junglefowl (national bird) | Gallus lafayettii |
| Sweden | Eurasian elk (national animal) | Alces alces |
| Tanzania | Giraffe | Giraffa sp. |
| Thailand | Asian elephant (national animal) | Elephas maximus |
| Thailand | Siamese fighting fish (national aquatic animal) | Betta splendens |
| Togo | Lion | Panthera leo |
| Tunisia | Cream-colored courser | Cursorius cursor |
| Turkey | Grey wolf (national animal) | Canis lupus |
| Turkey | Kangal shepherd dog (national dog) | Canis familiaris |
| Turkey | Turkish Angora (national cat) | Felis catus |
| Uganda | Grey crowned crane | Balearica regulorum |
| United Arab Emirates | Arabian oryx (national animal) | Oryx leucoryx |
| United Arab Emirates | Peregrine falcon (national bird) | Falco peregrinus |
| United Kingdom | Bulldog | Canis familiaris |
| United Kingdom | Lion (England) | Panthera leo |
| United Kingdom | Red kite (Wales) | Milvus milvus |
| United States | Bald eagle (national bird) | Haliaeetus leucocephalus |
| United States | American bison (national mammal) | Bison bison |
| Venezuela | Venezuelan troupial (national bird) | Icterus icterus |
Mythical National Animals
Some countries have mythical beasts and creatures as their national animals they have not been included in the list above.
A few examples of mythical national animals include:
- Lebanon – Phoenix
- Wales – Red Dragon
- Scotland – Unicorn
- Serbia – White Eagle