Most Unique National Animals

Komodo dragon-Indonesia

The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the world’s largest living lizard.

 

Markhor-Pakistan

A member of the goat family, the markour (Capra falconeri) roams sparsely wooded regions in the Himalayas.

 

Xoloitzcuintli-Mexico

A national arthropod (grasshopper), a national marine mammal (vaquita) and a national dog, xoloitzcuintli.

 

Secretary bird-Sudan

The coat of arms of Sudan features the secretary bird (Sagittarius serpentarius), a distant cousin of the vulture.

 

Takin-Bhutan

So a local folk hero took a heap of cow and goat bones and crafted the first takin.

 

Gyrfalcon-Iceland

As many as one-third of Europe’s population of gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) come to Iceland to breed.

 

Cypriot mouflon-Cyprus

The Cypriot subspecies (Ovis gmelini ophion) is found only on Cyprus, an island republic south of Turkey.

 

Vicuña-Peru

Peru selected a relative of the llama, the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), as its national animal.