You have probably heard of countries having lions or eagles as their national animals. But these 6 countries have some weird and unusual national animals.
This strange, flightless and extinct bird is the national symbol of Mauritius. Known for its humble, kind, and welcoming nature, the dodo bird became extinct during the 17th century due to hunting and deforestation. Now, it remains the national animal of Mauritius.
The Welsh dragon was adopted as the national animal of Wales in the early fifth century as a symbol of power against the Romans in Britain and was later known as the Red Dragon in the seventh century. Often claimed to be the oldest, the national flag of Wales has featured this unique mythical creature for centuries.
Unlike what its name suggests, the pharaoh hound isn't native to Egypt but the island of Malta in Europe. This canine was used for hunting rabbits and as per the legend, was brought to Malta from Egypt years ago. However, it shares no DNA with the ancient Egyptian hunting dogs.
This mythical creature is surprisingly the national animal of Scotland. For years, many believed this beautiful animal to be real until it was proved to be only a myth in 1825. In Scotland, this one-horned beast is considered a symbol of purity, innocence and strength.
Also referred to as "sea cow", Dugong is a herbivorous marine creature. Inspiring tales of mermaids and sirens in earlier times, this giant animal is known to be gentle and not fierce. For thousands of years, it was hunted for its meat, oil and hide, but is now protected by the nation as its existence is threatened.