The national animal of Egypt is the steppe eagle. Eagles have been a very important cultural symbol for millennia in Egypt and so the decision to make it the modern national animal is unsurprising. These powerful and majestic eagles hold a very important place at the heart of Egyptian culture and have for a very long time.
Steppe eagles are in a precarious position in the modern day, and there are many factors that have influenced the decision to make it Egypt’s national animal.
They have a very large range and can be found all over Africa and Asia though they hold a place of particular importance to the Egyptians.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Egypt?
The national animal of Egypt is the steppe eagle.
This large bird of prey is a very important symbol in Egypt and indeed in many of the places where it can be found throughout the year.
Though they were at one time considered to be conspecific with the tawny eagle, they have now been taxonomically separated based on significant differences both morphologically and anatomically.
The steppe eagle is rather unusual as an eagle for a number of reasons.
They are specialized hunters, and primarily target ground squirrels.
They will, however, target other small mammals, too.
Wherever the squirrels are found in abundance, though, they will always prefer the squirrel.
They tend to nest fairly low to the ground; sometimes they will nest in low rocky outcroppings but they will frequently nest right on the ground, and are the only species to do so primarily.
These birds are definitely migratory and can move over vast distances during the course of the year.
They will move en masse through the Middle East, the Red Sea and the Himalaya.
During the winter they will tend not to hunt mammals as much and will focus on insect swarms, scavenging carrion or from landfill, and sometimes the young of other bird species. Most other eagles continue to hunt year round.
They are large, bulky, and robust, with mostly dark brown plumage and long, thick neck.
Their heads are relatively small but their beaks are nonetheless incredibly strong.
They are often quite tame and easy to approach, not having much natural fear of humans though this obviously depends on the individual.
To see them flying they look like very impressive raptors and so this no doubt has influenced their place in Egyptian culture—but why else are they chosen as the national animal?
Why is the steppe eagle the national animal of Egypt?
There are a few reasons steppe eagles have been chosen as Egypt’s national animal.
Again, as mentioned, historically eagles have always been a very important symbol and image to Egyptian people.
They feature heavily in ancient Egyptian art and hieroglyphs, and were heavily associated with the god Nekhbet.
This was a deity of upper Egypt and one known as the protector of the king.
She was depicted as a female eagle with a white crown.
In the modern day, there are many other core values that eagles are great embodiments of.
They are symbols of liberty, freedom, courage and power, all of which are important to the modern sense of Egyptian identity.
Steppe eagles were also prized birds of the first Sultan of Egypt.
Beyond these reasons, though, an animal’s conservation status is often an influencing factor in whether an animal is chosen as the national animal.
Despite their enormous range, steppe eagles are threatened in the modern day and thus the government hopes to bring attention to the bird’s plight by making it the national animal.
Are the birds going extinct, then?
Are steppe eagles going extinct?
Steppe eagles are certainly in a very precarious position.
They are officially categorized as an endangered species, and their population has declined hugely in recent decades.
The primary reason for this is the loss of their steppe habitat which is being turned into farms and agricultural fields.
The loss of an animal’s habitat is usually one of the biggest problems it will face.
Beyond that, though, they are often caught in power lines and are even actively persecuted by humans in some places.
Conservation efforts are underway and many are hopeful that the numbers will bounce back in the coming years, but ultimately they are officially endangered.
Where does the steppe eagle live?
As the name suggests, steppe eagles live in open steppes and plains.
They prefer dryer, warmer land where they can find their mammal prey. In terms of where in the world they live, as mentioned they have a huge range and will migrate very long ways during the year.
They are found in Europe, Asia, and far south into Africa.
They will be found in desert, savannah, pastures, and will sometimes also live in agricultural fields—this is where the human persecution comes in.
They can be a problem for farms and thus they are often killed by farmers who have already destroyed and encroached on their habitat.
So, they can be found across a huge range but they have been a particular focus of people in Egypt for more or less as long as people have been living in Egypt, we can assume.
Today the animal continues to hold vital importance for Egypt’s people and as a nation, and the decision to make the bird the official national animal has no doubt been influenced by the precarious conservation status of the bird.