In various countries, fictitious animals are used as national symbols. Scotland, North Korea, and Albania all have national symbols that do not truly exist but that have longstanding cultural significance. The mythical unicorn has been present in Scottish heraldry since the 12th century. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn symbolizes purity, healing, joy, and even masculinity. Today, the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom features the Scottish unicorn along with the English lion.
North Korea’s national symbol is also mythical – a winged horse known as Chollima. According to Korean folklore, Chollima is said to be able to travel hundreds of miles per day.
The double-headed eagle is an ancient symbol dating back to the Byzantine Empire, signifying the duality of church and state. It has featured prominently on many imperial flags. Today, variations of the double-headed eagle can be seen on the flags of Albania and Serbia.
More about national symbols:
- Mexico not only has a national animal (the golden eagle), but also a national mammal (jaguar), marine mammal (vaquita porpoise), arthropod (grasshopper), and dog (xoloitzcuintle- a hairless Mexican breed).
- Indonesia’s national symbol is Garuda, the mythical bird of Vishnu. The gold colored Garuda with 17 feathers on each wing, 8 feathers on the tail and 45 on the neck is the modern symbol of Indonesia and symbolizes the date of Indonesia's independence: 17 August 1945.
- Although several US states, including Hawaii and Wisconsin, have tried to campaign for official state microbes, only Oregon has an official state microbe -- Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or brewer’s yeast.