Aq Bars
Aq Bars or Ak Bars is an ancient Bulgar symbol, which has served as the official symbol of the Republic of Tatarstan since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 7 February 1992. Its name is translated literally as, and it typically refers to the snow leopard.
Historically, this symbol was used in Volga Bulgaria and the Khanate of Kazan – predecessors of Tatarstan – as a state symbol. The snow leopard symbol comes from the totems of one of the Bulgar tribes – the Barsil. According to legend, the Barsils founded Bilär in Volga Bulgaria.
The creator of the current emblem is the artist Rif Fäxretdinov.