Famous animals from Edinburgh that are not part of Greyfriars Bobby – The Skinny

Wojtek

The coolest animal on our list, Wojtek was a brown bear from Iran who was adopted by the Polish Army and joined them in the fight against Benito Mussolini’s Italy during World War II. Wojtek spent his well-earned retirement after the Army at Edinburgh Zoo and in Princes Street Gardens you’ll find a bronze statue of him, created by sculptor Alan Herriot.

Nils-Olav

Major General Sir Nils Olav III, Baron of the Bouvet Islands, is a king penguin who lives at Edinburgh Zoo. He is the only knighted penguin and Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Royal Guard.

Dolly the Sheep

Dolly’s birth was the first cloned mammal ever created from an adult cell and a huge scientific achievement for Scotland. She is on display in the National Museum.

Cemetery of Heroic Dogs

Greyfriars Bobby isn’t the only dog ​​honoured at Auld Reekie. In the grounds of Edinburgh Castle you’ll find a charming pet cemetery where dogs from our armed forces are buried.

Two cheeky elephants

An elephant brought to Scotland from Sri Lanka in 1838 by the 78th Highlander Regiment used to live in Edinburgh Castle and reportedly developed a taste for beer. The animal’s toes are now on display in the National War Museum in the castle. However, this was not Edinburgh’s first elephant resident. In the early 18th century, an elephant lived in a flat in the Old Town, much to the chagrin of the bakery downstairs, which had to contend with an inordinate amount of elephant dung.

Bass Rock Booby

Bass Rock, off the coast of North Berwick, is home to the world’s largest gannet colony. Visit on a boat trip from North Berwick Harbour.

Seal watching at the Firth of Forth

The Firth of Forth is teeming with seals and you will find hundreds of them on the island of Inchkeith, which you can visit on a tour aboard the Maid of the Forth, passing the three famous bridges of the Forth: the Queensferry Crossing, the Forth Road Bridge and the Forth Rail Bridge.

Unicorns everywhere

The unicorn is Scotland’s national animal and we shout it out loud. You’ll find images of these mythical horses on statues and murals in parks, streets and historic buildings all over this beautiful city. Keep an eye out!

This article comes from The Skinny Guide to Edinburgh 2024 – Get your free copy from venues across Scotland from 28 June