The ridiculousness of England's national animal being the lion is really obvious when they're playing sport against a country that actually has lions. It's like if Australia's national animal was the polar bear.
@adamliaw Of course lions used to roam the UK - until humans & a warming climate killed them all . . . around 12-14,000 years ago. Those lions were -~25% larger than African lions. The use by various aristocrats was to associate with strength. Native squirrels didn’t quite cut it . . .
@adamliaw If Australia's national animal was a polar bear then we'd still eat them.
@adamliaw What do you advocate for then? Asian countries having rice in their flags? 🙄 This tweet comes across as incredibly racist & bigoted - England actually had lions before they were hunted into oblivion.
@adamliaw In 1235, Henry III kept three lions ("leopards") in the moat area of the Tower of London. This was a source of great national prestige in medieval times. This has become a tradition. Traditions are good.
@adamliaw It is, but makes perfect sense if you watch @MarcFennell 's brilliant series Stuff the British Stole
@adamliaw Actually the lion represents hundreds and hundreds of years of their history. 🤦♂️
@adamliaw A more appropriate analogy would be if Australia’s national animal was the Tasmanian Tiger. Lions did live in England but they were extinct 12,000 years ago.
@adamliaw We have Li-on batteries ... not really a point...just saying that 🙄