Spanish Oddities
What is the sex of the Madrid bear?
By h.b.
Jun 18, 2007 - 8:17 AM

A controversy has broken out over the sex of the Coat of Arms for the City of Madrid. The Coat of Arms consists of a bear looking up an orange tree.

The Director of the Matirtense Heraldic and Geneology Royal Academy, Faustino Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, told El Mundo that that they are not veterinarians, and therefore cannot decide the sex of the bear.

His comments came after the Mayor of the City, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, asked him to rule on the question. He did admit however that the tradition in the 16th century was to describe the beast as Osa, making it feminine, but there was no formal evidence.