Overview

• Baraka, a three-year-old white borrego from the Melilla-based Tercio “Gran Capitán,” replaced the customary goat in the 12 October Fiesta Nacional parade on the Paseo del Prado, drawing applause and viral attention.
• The ram was donated to the unit by a Legion of Honor member, and his Arabic name means good fortune.
• Recent parades have featured rams such as Titán in 2022 and Killo in 2024, a choice military sources attribute to easier handling and greater docility during public events.
• Officially the Legion’s mascot is a ram, though goats have long filled the role in public parades and popular perception.
• The mascot tradition originated from troops keeping livestock for sustenance, with some animals later spared and honored with names, regalia, and ranks like Cabo Primero, and the Legion has historically used species ranging from monkeys and Sahara gazelles to arruís, parrots, wild boars, and even a bear.