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22 eye-catching pictures of Edinburgh's animal kingdom

Check out some of the (semi-real) wildlife that can be found out and about Edinburgh, from rabbits and foxes to lions, rhinos and giraffes

Written by
Niki Boyle
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As well as housing roughly half a million people, Edinburgh is also home to a wide variety of wild animals - and we don't just mean at the Zoo. The following beasties of all shapes, sizes and questionable liveliness have been snapped by local and visiting photographers - which ones have you spotted?

Looking for more lovely images? Check out our galleries for the Royal Botanic Gardens and Edinburgh's street art.

Squirrel

Squirrel

Snapped making a break for it by fs-phil.
Rhino

Rhino

William Darrell's sculpture was seen thrusting its head through the wall of Edinburgh University's Informatics building by Cory Doctorow.
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Giraffes

Giraffes

Helen Denerley's scrap metal sculptures were seen strolling outside the Omni centre by Ron Almog.
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Butterfly

Butterfly

Photographed on the Water of Leith by Scott Denham.
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Buzzard and crow

Buzzard and crow

Engaging in avian harrassment above the Hermitage of Braid, as witnessed by Magnus Hagdorn.
Duck

Duck

One of Stan Wilson's Water of Leith sculptures, snapped near St Bernard's Well by Stuart Caie.
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Eagles

Eagles

Spotted swooping down the stairs at Our Dynamic Earth by dun_deagh.
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Red grouse

Red grouse

Spied nestling in the Pentlands by Sean Murray.
Lion
Photo: subberculture, via Flickr

Lion

Ronald Rae's pink sandstone sculpture was originally seen lion around Arthur's Seat (before moving to its current home in St Andrew Square) by subberculture.
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Magpie
Photo: Dave W via Flickr

Magpie

Seen flashing its feathers at the Botanics by Dave W.
Fish
Photo: fiomaha, via Flickr

Fish

Another Ronald Rae sculpture, this fish was captured high and dry during Cramond's low tide by fiomaha.
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Swan

Swan

Getting up close and personal with photographer Laurence Arnold at Holyrood Park.
Otter

Otter

Another of Stan Wilson's sculptures spotted by Stuart Caie in the Water of Leith.
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Rabbit

Rabbit

Witnessed breaking into Edinburgh Zoo by Glen Bowman.
Pigeon

Pigeon

A paper and duct tape sculpture near the Shore end of the Water of Leith, snapped by H G.
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Weasel
Photo: Sean Murray via Flickr

Weasel

Spotted poking its head out in the Hermitage of Braid by Sean Murray.
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Greyfriars Bobby
Photo: Xiquinho Silva

Greyfriars Bobby

Edinburgh's most famous pooch was sighted by Xiquinho Silva on George IV Bridge, not far from his master's grave in Greyfriars Kirkyard.
Bum the dog
Photo: subberculture, via Flickr

Bum the dog

Photographer subberculture spotted Bum about 10 minutes' walk from Greyfriars Bobby, lying just inside Princes Street Gardens' King's Stables Road entrance. He's San Diego's Bobby counterpart - there's statues of them both over there as well.
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