National animals

Portugal is no different – our national animal is the Iberian Wolf, and the curious official bird is the rooster, the legendary Galo de Barcelos, now a painted clay souvenir of Portugal. These colourfully decorated roosters represent a story from long ago in the northern town of Barcelos.

Rooster Legend

Legend has it that an unknown Galician was accused of a crime that he hadn’t committed, with him declaring that he was only passing through on a pilgrimage. Sentenced to be hung, the man begged to see the judge who had sentenced him, and again the man pleaded his innocence, pointing to the roasted rooster that was on the table and exclaiming: ‘As certain as I am innocent, that rooster will sing when they hang me!’. And the impossible happened: as the pilgrim was being hung, the rooster stood up on the table and sang. The judge then ran to the gallows and discovered that the Galician could still be saved thanks to a badly made knot, and the man was immediately released.

Most national animals are widely recognised. South Africa has the springbok - and although it looks similar to deer, it belongs to the same family as sheep and cows. It is so popular that it became the nickname of their national rugby team.

Australians have the kangaroo, which was finally recognised when it was included in their coat of arms in 1908. It's often said that Australians are the only people who eat the animal on their coat of arms, as the kangaroo is hunted for sport and for meat. But Australians are not alone in consuming their national animal— the people of Denmark were known to eat their swans, and Saudi Arabians love a bit of camel. Australia doesn’t have a national bird, but it is widely accepted to be the emu and appears on their national coat of arms opposite the kangaroo.

New Zealand has the kiwi, a unique bird that can’t fly and has loose, hair-like feathers and no tail. The name comes from the sound they produce: ‘kee-wee, kee-wee’, and the All Blacks national rugby team are often referred to as ‘The Kiwis’.

The United States has the bald eagle, long considered a symbol of strength, and it first appeared on the US national seal in 1782. The bison is officially recognised as their national mammal, a huge creature standing nearly 2m high.

England has the lion as a symbol of British ‘pride’ and has forever been identified with Richard the Lionheart, who was known for his valour and military prowess. He adopted the lion as his personal emblem, becoming synonymous with the bravery and strength of the English nation.

Scotland has an animal that doesn’t even exist - the unicorn. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn was a symbol of purity and innocence, as well as masculinity and power. Tales of dominance and chivalry associated with the unicorn may be why it was chosen as Scotland's national animal.

Wales has the red dragon, another non-existent beast, said to have been adopted by 5th-century Welsh kings, keen to show their authority following the Roman withdrawal from Britain.

Ireland has the Irish hare, also known as the mountain hare, being exclusively present in the country for millions of years. Carbon dating of cave fossils has shown they were present in Ireland as far back as 30,000 BP (years before present), and are thought to have continuously inhabited Ireland since before the last ice age.

Some countries have strange creatures - Bhutan, for example, has the Takin (pronounced ‘tock-in’), which is said to have been created from the head of a goat and the body of a cow. North Korea has the mythical winged horse called Chollima, and Mauritius chose the extinct, flightless Dodo Bird. Indonesia chose their own Komodo Dragon, an endangered species and the largest, heaviest, living lizard in the world, with thick, leathery skin, strong claws and sharp teeth - and if an attack doesn’t kill you, their venom and bacteria-filled saliva will.

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan