Unusual, Rare or Extinct National Animals around the World

Every country has a national animal – an animal they uniquely identify and which may be seen as symbols of their heritage.
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For Example the Beaver was given official status as an emblem of Canada. Canada ETA is Electronic Travel Authorization for Tourism, Business you need if you are planning to visit to Canada. When we see the bald eagle, we easily think of the United States, and the black and white panda or dragon will immediately make you think of China as a country. Such is the adoption of various animals around the world, with some still being available, while others have since become extinct, or they are very rare to site. Since seeing different kinds of animals is one of the reasons why millions of people traverse the globe as tourists, here is a look at some of the unusual, rare or extinct national animals that animals lovers would love to see around the world:

Unicorn – Scotland

Unicorn is a majestic and mythical creature believed to have the ability to sing in the voices of Mia Farrow. It has been the heraldic symbol of Scotland since the late 1300s and you will see it appearing chained on Scotland's Royal Court of Arms. As a national for the Scotts, the unicorn symbolizes independence, unity, purity, and strength. It will interest you to know that the unicorn is such an obscure animal which probably no one has ever seen in the entire world, and as such, there are debates amongst the Scotts if it can be changed as a national animal to some other animals that may be real, even if extinct. How, where and when the debate ends, only time will tell.

Dodo – Mauritius

Dodo is the most famous endemic bird in the Island nation of Mauritius. It is the national bird for the country. The bird can be conspicuously seen in most of the countries symbols of national unity, including flags, a court of arms, posters etc. This curious-looking flightless bird was last seen in 1662 but has since remained the national pride of the Mauritian people as well as a subtle reminder of the various endangered species of both animals and birds around the globe. Although the story of the dodo is quite a sad one –a species forced to disappear through being hunted, killed and eaten by the Dutch, it remains and a great reminder of the need to preserve and protect species for generations to come.

Okapi – DRC

No one can really tell whether it is a baby giraffe, a donkey or a gazelle. This is a truly unusual animal and which is unusually used a national symbol by the Democratic Republic of Congo. To get a picture of how this animal looks like, here is the description – the hind and front legs are for a zebra, the hooves are for an antelope, the head is for a baby giraffe and the mid-section is for a mule or a donkey.

It would be a nice thing if weren't talking about the definite extinction of the okapi, but with man's invasion of its habitat and the constant threats it faces due to the high demand for its skin, it could remain nothing but a story for generations to come, who will have to contend with the strange description of this animal. Luckily, its images will lurk for a while since it is the national symbol of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Komodo dragon – Indonesia

If you have been to Indonesia, then this is a common reptile in many places, given that it is the national animal for the country. What you will find intriguing about this animal is that it is so unusual that it was never classified until not long ago. It has been described as a massive land alligator – big enough to swallow fellow alligators and will not hesitate to feast on man, should they be naïve enough to offer themselves as meals.

Surprisingly, the Komodo dragon is the only reptile used as a national animal, and this its outstanding features, it is easy to understand why Indonesia – a country made of several islands, easily chose on it as a national animal. Its muscular tail, long claws, weight, strength, razor-sharp teeth, and powerful claws all resemble just the kinds of characteristics any country would like to associate with.

Baird’s tapir – Belize

This is weird looking beast known to produce some of the cutest babies in the world. It is native to Central America and it is the national animal for Belize. A look at this creature will leave you thinking very hard whether you have seen a pig, a hippo, an anteater, or a horse because it is a blend of all those animals. The mouth is that of a pig, complete with a snort, the size, and the build is nearly similar to that of a hippo, the fur is for a horse and the ears, as well as the nose, may convince you that it is an anteater.

The Baird’s tapir is also known as the mountain cow and it is one of the highly endangered animals in the world today, with an estimated population being less 5000. Some of the things threatening it existence include illegal poaching, habitat destruction, and low reproduction rate.

Markhor – Pakistan

Markhor is now considered near threatened, an upgrade from endangered – thanks to unregulated trophy hunting as well as the destruction of their habitat. The beast is best known for its corkscrew horns, its imposing size and fierce display of aggression whenever it feels threatened. Though it is the national symbol for Pakistan, it can also be found in other places such as the mountains of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan and in northern India.  

Phoenix – Greece

Think Phoenix and Greece is the country that comes into mind. It is the national symbol for Greece, though many believe that dolphin is usually the country's national animal. The Phoenix is awesome mythical creatures whose roots are deeply embedded in ancient Greek mythology. The Phoenix is usually considered to represent the supernatural – a rare bird that could fly and breathe fire to protect Greece against all bad omens as well as any attacks that her enemies would have mounted.