Scotland's national animal is the unicorn
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Scotland's national animal has been the unicorn since at least the 12th century, when it appeared on the Scottish coat of arms. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn symbolised purity, innocence, power, and independence. Crucially, it was considered untameable — making it the perfect symbol for a fiercely independent nation. On the current British Royal Coat of Arms, the Scottish unicorn appears chained because, according to heraldic tradition, a free unicorn is considered dangerous. The English lion holds the chained Scottish unicorn. The symbolism aged interestingly.
Scotland chose a mythological creature as its national animal specifically because it could not be tamed — and on the shared British coat of arms, the English lion is holding it in chains. Art.
The Science Behind It
Scotland's national animal has been the unicorn since at least the 12th century, when it appeared on the Scottish coat of arms. In Celtic mythology, the unicorn symbolised purity, innocence, power, and independence. Crucially, it was considered untameable — making it the perfect symbol for a fiercely independent nation. On the current British Royal Coat of Arms, the Scottish unicorn appears chained because, according to heraldic tradition, a free unicorn is considered dangerous. The English lion holds the chained Scottish unicorn. The symbolism aged interestingly.
Why Your Brain Finds This Hard to Believe
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Read our Editorial Guidelines →“Scotland's national animal is the unicorn — chosen because it was untameable. On the British coat of arms, the English lion holds it in chains.”