# What is the best animal on a national coat of arms?

> Countries pick an animal to stand for them and then live with the choice for centuries. A few of these picks look better than others.

*By YPB Team · Published August 27, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-animal-on-a-national-coat-of-arms*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Lion** — score 1000/1000
   The default beast of European heraldry, from England to the Netherlands to Sri Lanka.
2. **Golden Eagle** — score 927/1000
   Mexico's eagle, perched on a cactus with a snake in its beak, from an Aztec founding legend.
3. **Grey Crowned Crane** — score 877/1000
   Uganda's national bird, standing on one leg on the flag and the arms.
4. **Red Kangaroo** — score 800/1000
   One half of Australia's arms, chosen partly because it cannot walk backwards.
5. **Bengal Tiger** — score 600/1000
   India's national animal, and the supporter on the arms of Malaysia and Singapore's neighbours.
6. **Arabian Oryx** — score 600/1000
   Extinct in the wild by 1972, reintroduced, and now on the arms of Jordan and Oman's emblem.
7. **Andean Condor** — score 600/1000
   A supporter on the arms of Colombia, Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia.
8. **Llama** — score 466/1000
   One of Peru's three charges, standing for the country's animal wealth.
9. **Bald Eagle** — score 466/1000
   Clutching arrows and an olive branch on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782.
10. **Emu** — score 466/1000
   Australia's other supporter, a flightless bird that once won a war against the army.
11. **Secretarybird** — score 466/1000
   Wings spread across South Africa's post-apartheid coat of arms, adopted in 2000.
12. **Horse** — score 300/1000
   Two white horses hold up the arms of Nigeria, and the horse carries more national coats of arms than any other domestic animal.
13. **Resplendent Quetzal** — score 300/1000
   Guatemala's national bird, on the arms and on the currency that carries its name.
14. **Jaguar** — score 300/1000
   A supporter on Guyana's arms and the largest cat in the Americas.
15. **African Bush Elephant** — score 300/1000
   On the arms of Eswatini and Ivory Coast, and the largest land animal alive.

Tags: animals, symbols, countries, heraldry