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American bison
United States. Congress made the American bison the national mammal in 2016. On the winter range, the muscles in its shoulder hump let it swing its head from side to side and sweep snow off the grass it eats.
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Resplendent quetzal
Guatemala. The resplendent quetzal became the national bird in 1871 and appears atop the scroll on the coat of arms. Look for the male’s long green plumes, which trail behind the tail as it moves through mountain cloud forest.
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Takin
Bhutan. A Bhutanese story credits the Buddhist teacher Drukpa Kunley with creating the takin from the bones of a cow and a goat. The national animal is a real mountain mammal that moves from higher pastures into more forested areas in winter.
More about Takin4
North American beaver
Canada. The beaver became a statutory symbol of Canadian sovereignty in 1975. Its earlier prominence owed much to the fur trade, and you can still see it on the five-cent coin. In water, a beaver can slap its broad tail to warn others.
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Markhor
Pakistan. The markhor's corkscrew horns make the national animal easy to pick out. The horns are especially large in males. The wild goat lives on steep mountain terrain, where it can move across slopes that look almost sheer.
More about Markhor6
Bengal tiger
India. The Indian Board for Wildlife adopted the tiger as the national animal in 1972, replacing the Asiatic lion. The government cited its wider range within India and the need to protect it across the country. This Bengal tiger was photographed in Kanha National Park.
More about Bengal tiger7
Philippine eagle
Philippines. A proclamation named this forest raptor the national bird in 1995. It lives only on four Philippine islands, and nesting pairs favor large forest trees such as native lauan, a reminder of how much the bird depends on intact forest.
More about Philippine eagle8
Komodo dragon
Indonesia. A 1993 presidential decree designated the Komodo dragon the national animal. The world’s largest living lizard has a small natural range on a handful of Indonesian islands. This one was photographed on Rinca in Komodo National Park.
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Baird's tapir
Belize. The 2025 National Symbols Act names Baird’s tapir the national animal. Locally known as the mountain cow, this forest mammal has a flexible snout for grasping foliage and often spends time in water.
More about Baird's tapir10
White-tailed deer
Costa Rica. A 1995 law recognized the white-tailed deer as a symbol of the country's native wild fauna. One place it lives is in the dry forests of Guanacaste. A startled deer often raises its tail, flashing the white underside as it runs.
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Springbok
South Africa. The national animal gets its name from a jumping display known as pronking. The springbok bounds high above the ground and is at home in dry, open country such as the Karoo.
More about Springbok12
Grey crowned crane
Uganda. The crane in the center of the flag is the gray crowned crane, known locally as the crested crane. It also appears on the coat of arms. The gold crown is made of stiff feathers, a feature recognizable even on the flag’s little white disk.
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South Andean deer
Chile. The huemul and the Andean condor have shared Chile’s coat of arms since 1834. The huemul, also called the South Andean deer, lives on both sides of the Andes in Patagonia and usually travels alone or in small family groups.
More about South Andean deer14
Vicuña
Peru. The vicuña in the top left of the shield represents the country’s animal life. In the high Andes, this wild relative of the llama grazes on short grasses and herbs and grows an exceptionally fine coat.
More about Vicuña15
Emu
Australia. An emu and a kangaroo flank the shield on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms granted in 1912. The emu is Australia’s tallest native bird. Its wings are tiny, but its powerful legs carry it long distances as it searches for food and water.
More about Emu16
Kiwi (bird)
New Zealand. The kiwi became an unofficial national emblem through everyday use, appearing in early twentieth-century cartoons. The North Island brown kiwi shown here has nostrils near the tip of its bill, useful for finding food as it probes the ground.
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Eurasian brown bear
Finland. The Eurasian brown bear became the national animal through a public poll that also drew support for the moose and the Saimaa ringed seal. Bears appear in the Finnish epic Kalevala and still roam eastern forests, where berry-studded droppings can give away their presence.
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