When people hear “Taiwan” do they think about rice and dumplings [水餃] or big bears? How about “Italy?” Do you think about pasta [意大利麵] or wolves [狼]? Most countries have a national animal [國家代表動物]. By now, you’ve guessed or already knew that Taiwan’s national animal is a bear — the Formosan black bear [台灣黑熊]. Italy’s national animal is the wolf [狼]. Five countries chose dragons for their national animal. Seventeen countries have lions [獅子]. Not even one country wanted a snake [蛇] as their animal. One of the most popular animals is the eagle. Twenty-two countries have an eagle as their national animal and one of those twenty-two countries I know very well, it’s the United States.