It’s actually a sculpture of a Griffin, hard to tell I know, but it is a made up creature after all, I had to google to find out more about it. It's a legendary beast half lion and half eagle that has been around in European culture and art for a long time. Often represented in Greek mythology, it was a fairly fierce creature. Sometimes, griffins were themselves used for transport by the gods; the chariot that bore Nemesis, the ancient Greeks' dreaded goddess of vengeance, was frequently drawn by griffins. (gotta love google) ;)
