Real Creatures
Tartans have been designed to pay homage to wild creatures, domesticated animals, endangered species and beloved pets.
Click any picture to navigate to the page of interest for more information about this tartan or its associated day.
Australian Heavy Horse
Jan 18
Heavy Horse Day
Designed, firstly for the Clydesdale breed and then further extended to include all heavy work horse breeds in Australia, in recognition of the heavy horses in the establishment of agriculture in Australia and the revival of their use in the new millennium. The main colours of the tartan represent the breed of heavy horses. The dark grey and black also represents the use of horses in industry, with green for Australian agriculture and brown for the ploughed fields.
Groundhog
Feb 2
Groundhog Day
From the designer: "If the sun comes out on a clear blue morning, the Groundhog will see his shadow. Again, the darker "shadow" portion is asymmetrical as if light is shining on the lines from the left hand side. The turquoise seemed to go with the bright yellow and reminded me of a warm Caribbean vacation, which I am sure many people on the East Coast may be dreaming of right now."
Monarch
Feb 5
Western Monarch Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Blue Whale
Feb 13
World Whale Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Polar Bear
Feb 27
Polar Bear Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Fawn
Mar 3
World Wildlife Day
by designer Carol A.. Martin this tartan uses the camouflage colours of the baby fawn.
Edinburgh Zoo Panda
Mar 16
Panda Day
Created to celebrate the arrival of a breeding pair of pandas at Edinburgh Zoo. The main colours of the tartan are black and white, directly representing the Panda’s. Grey shades have been added to soften the tartan as well as to convey the gradation of colour from black to white, as seen on the Panda’s fur. The red represents China as the pandas are their gift. Green has also been included to represent the pandas' favourite food, bamboo.
Old Frog (Frog Day)
Mar 20
World Frog Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Springbok
Apr 3
African Animal Day
Produced to celebrate the Springbok (antidorcas marsupialis), a swift and graceful gazelle of Africa, this animal gets its common name from its characteristic jumping display - 'pronk' in Afrikaans, meaning to boast or show off. The many different shades of green resemble the fertile veld of South Africa where the Springbok grazes. The Springbok itself was the inspiration for the centre of the sett, focussing on its beautiful lustrous eyes and the white patch on its back.
Leopard
May 3
Leopard Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Australian Donkey
May 8
Donkey Day
Requested by Australian donkey breeders to recognise all breeds of donkeys and to commemorate their assistance with man throughout history. Released 4th October 2006, the Feast of St Francis, patron Saint of animals, and also adopted as patron Saint of donkeys.
Old Frog
May 13
Jumping Frog Day
Bumblebee
May 20
Bee Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
The Betta
Jun 18
Go Fishing Day!
Blackburn Appalachian
Jul 16
World Snake Day
Designed for the Blackburn family throughout the Appalachian region, the colours black, yellow and scarlet represent the coral snake, one of the dangers faced by generations of Blackburns, living in and migrating through green wilderness in the New World.
Glenguineapigs
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
by designer McSprea - a Glen Plaid variation on the Guinea Pigs for Deborah tartan
Guinea Pigs for Deborah
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Luna Moth
Jul 18
Moth Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Year of the Tiger
Jul 29
Tiger Day
This tartan, created for The Year of the Tiger in 2010, represents the designers view of the colours of the tiger "white and gold with black stripes and yellow eyes. - Oh, and lots of sharp 'teeth'".
Scottish Wildcat
Aug 8
Scottish Wildcat Day
The sales of this tartan are intended to benefit habitat reservation and conservation efforts to help preserve the cats. .
Pink Elephant
Aug 12
World Elephant Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Timber Wolf
Aug 13
Wolf Day
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
All Breeds Dairy Goats
Aug 21
Goat Day
A tartan to represent dairy goats of the world
Little Brown Bat (Bat Night)
Aug 27
Bat Night
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Blue Lobster, Orange Lobster
Sep 25
Lobster Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Cunningham
Sep 25
International Rabbit Day
REAL CREATURES COLLECTION
Oct-4
World Animal Day
Red Rum
Oct 13
Red Rum Day
Commemorating the famous race horse Red Rum. Green was for the turf and Maroon and Gold were the racing colours.
Dark Grey Wolf
Oct 24
Werewolf Night
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
Black Cat
Oct 27
Black Cat Night
Tartan design by Carol A.L. Martin
Icelandic Horse
Nov 16
World Horse Appreciation Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Cheetah
Dec 4
Cheetah Day
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Miss Jenny
Dec 4
Cheetah Day
Palomino
Dec 13
The Day of the Horse
by designer Carol A.L. Martin
Arctic Fox
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
This tartan by Carol A.L. Martin, "represents the changing colour phases of the thick fur coat of the Arctic fox, which are shades of brown in summer and white and bluish-grey in winter. Their eyes are often a deep golden yellow. The Arctic fox is native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is the only land mammal native to Iceland."
Red Fox
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
This tartan by Carol A.L. Martin uses the striking colors of the red fox.
Clydesdale Horse
Jan 18
Heavy Horse Day
The Clydesdale, Percheron, Suffolk and the Shire are all important working horses in Australia.
Groundhog
Feb 2
Groundhog Day
According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early; if it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will persist for six more weeks.
Western Monarch
Feb 5
Western Monarch Day
The Western Monarch (Danaus plexippus) may be the most familiar North American butterfly, with its easily recognizable black, orange, and white wing pattern. The North American monarch population is notable for its annual southward late-summer/autumn migration from the United States and southern Canada to Mexico. During the fall migration, monarchs cover thousands of miles, with a corresponding multi-generational return north.
Blue Whale and Calf
Feb 13
World Whale Day
All blue whale groups make calls at a fundamental frequency between 10 and 40 Hz; the lowest frequency sound a human can typically perceive is 20 Hz. Blue whale calls last between ten and thirty seconds. Blue whales off the coast of Sri Lanka have been repeatedly recorded making "songs" of four notes, lasting about two minutes each, reminiscent of the well-known humpback whale songs.
Polar Bears
Feb 27
Polar Bear Day
Their scientific name means "maritime bear", and derives from the fact that polar bears hunt their preferred food of seals from the edge of sea ice, often living off fat reserves when no sea ice is present. Because of their dependence on the sea ice, polar bears are classified as marine mammals.
Twin Fawns
Mar 3
World Wildlife Day
The coloration of a fawn's coat helps the fawn to blend in with the forest floor and dappled light and remain hidden from predators.
Panda mother and cub
Mar 16
Panda Day
The rarest member of the bear family, pandas live mainly in bamboo forests high in the mountains of western China, where they subsist almost entirely on bamboo, eating from 26 to 84 pounds of it every day.
California red-legged frog
Mar 20
World Frog Day
The California red-legged frog is found in California and extreme northern Baja California, northwestern Mexico. This species now occurs most commonly along the northern and southern Coast Ranges, and in isolated areas in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
"Pronking" Springbok
Apr 3
African Animal Day
The springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) is a medium-sized brown and white antelope-gazelle of southwestern Africa. The common name "springbok" comes from the Afrikaans and Dutch words spring = jump and bok = male antelope or goat.
Mother Leopard and Cub
May 3
Leopard Day
Both leopards and snow leopards have a melanistic variation in which their coats are fully black (though the rosettes can be seen as shadows). In this variation they are known as black panthers.
Australian Donkey
May 8
Donkey Day
Feral donkeys in Australia are donkeys (scientific name Equus asinus) which escaped from captivity, and are living and breeding in the wild.
Jumping Frog
May 13
Jumping Frog Day
Pollen collecting
May 20
Bee Day
The word "bumblebee" is a compound of "bumble" + "bee" — "bumble" meaning to hum, buzz, drone, or move ineptly or flounderingly. In early centuries, they were also known as "humblebees" or "dumbledors."
Siamese Fighting Fish
Jun 18
Go Fishing Day!
Siamese Fighting Fish
Coral Snake
Jul 16
World Snake Day
This iconic snake, with its bulbous head and red, yellow, and black bands, is famous as much for its potent venom as for the many rhymes—"Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, friend of Jack."
Guinea Pig in Glen Plaid
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
The domestic guinea pig has enjoyed widespread popularity as a household pet, a type of pocket pet, ever since its introduction by European traders in the 16th century. Their docile nature; friendly, even affectionate responsiveness to handling and feeding; and the relative ease of caring for them continue to make guinea pigs a popular choice of pet.
A Muddle of Guinea Pigs
Jul 16
Guinea Pig Day
The humble guinea pig gets a tartan tribute in the warm colors of the different breeds.
Luna Moth
Jul 18
Moth Day
Luna Moths are huge moths, members of the Saturniidae family, also known as the "Giant Silkworm Moths" with a wingspan of four and a half inches. They have a white body, pinkish legs, and huge pale green wings. The hindwings have eyespots and long tails. They fly only at night, in spring and early summer.
Tiger and cub
Jul 29
Tiger Day
Tigers feature prominently in ancient mythology and folklore. They appear on many flags, coats of arms, and as mascots for sporting teams. The tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh, India, Malaysia and South Korea.
Scottish Wildcat
Aug 8
Scottish Wildcat Day
The Scottish wildcat is one of Europe’s most elusive and endangered mammals. It is known as the Tiger of the Highlands, a wild predator living by stealth and strength.
Baby Pink Albino Elephant with Herd
Aug 12
World Elephant Day
Although the term is associated with drunken hallucination, A pink elephant (also white or albino elephant) is a rare kind of elephant, but not a distinct species. Although often depicted as snow white, their skin is normally a soft reddish-brown, turning a light pink when wet.
Timber Wolves
Aug 13
Wolf Day
Many ancient civilizations paired wolves with the moon in both images and literature, a coupling which eventually evolved into today's popular belief that wolves howl at the moon. While experts have found no connection between the phases of the moon and wolf howling, pointing their faces upwards while howling allows wolves to project their calls farther
Dairy Goats
Aug 21
Goat Day
World Goat Day reflects upon the important role of goats in Iran and in many other countries of the world, not only in food security, but also for employment, income, rural development, environmental management and cultural traditions.
Bats in flight
Aug 27
Bat Night
Bats are the only flying mammals, but the species of vampire bats have an even more interesting distinction - they are the only mammals that feed entirely on blood (hemophagia), usually livestock. These bats sleep during the day in total darkness, suspended upside down from the roofs of caves. They typically gather in colonies of about 100 animals, but sometimes live in groups of 1,000 or more.
Blue Lobster
Sep 25
Lobster Day
Bright blue lobsters are so-coloured because of a genetic abnormality that causes them to produce more of a certain protein than others. This rare colour is estimated to occur at a rate of 1 in every 200 million.
Sep 25
International Rabbit Day
Oct-4
World Animal Day
Red Rum
Oct 13
Red Rum Day
Red Rum was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years.
Wolf or Werewolf?
Oct 24
Werewolf Night
The magical ability to assume the form and characteristics of a wolf is known as lycanthropism, or lycanthropy. There was no widespread belief in werewolves in medieval Europe before the 14th century, though the concept of animal shape-shifting goes back much further.
Black Cat
Oct 27
Black Cat Night
The folklore surrounding black cats varies from culture to culture, with black cats being reckoned either as harbingers of good fortune or conversely, of bad tidings.
Icelandic Horses
Nov 16
World Horse Appreciation Day
Icelandic horses have a double coat, to provide insulation against the harsh climate.
Cheetah and cub
Dec 4
Cheetah Day
With its long legs and very slender body, the cheetah is often referred to as "the greyhound of cats" and is capable of reaching speeds greater than 110 kilometers per hour in just over 3 seconds and at top speed has a stride of 7 meters long.
Cheetah and a Stag with Two Indian Attendants
Dec 4
Cheetah Day
Palomino
Dec 13
The Day of the Horse
The Palomino horse is named for its beautiful golden coat and white mane and tail. Due to their distinct color, palominos stand out in a show ring, and are much sought after as parade horses. They were particularly popular in movies and television during the 1940s and 1950s.
Arctic Fox
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), also known as the white fox, polar fox, or snow fox, is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. It is well adapted to living in cold environments, and is best known for its thick, warm fur that is also used as camouflage. On average, Arctic foxes only live 3-4 years in the wild.
Red Foxes
Dec 26
Fox Appreciation Day
The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, North America and Eurasia.