Takin
Encyclopedia
The Takin also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a goat-antelope found in the Eastern Himalayas
. There are four subspecies
: B. taxicolor taxicolor, the Mishmi Takin
; B. taxicolor bedfordi, the Shanxi or Golden Takin
; B. taxicolor tibetana, the Tibetan or Sichuan Takin
; and B. taxicolor whitei, the Bhutan Takin
. Mitochondrial
research shows that takin are related to sheep
, its similarity to the muskox being an example of convergent evolution
. The takin is the national animal of Bhutan
.
Takin stand 100 to 130 cm (39.4 to 51.2 in) at the shoulder and weigh up to 350 kg (771.6 lb). Biologist George Schaller
likened the Takin to a "bee-stung moose
", because of the swollen appearance of the face. They are covered in a thick golden wool
which turns black on the under-belly. Both sexes have small horn
s which run parallel to the skull and then turn upwards in a short point, these are around 30 cm (11.8 in) long.
. Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve
in Arunachal Pradesh is a stronghold of both Mishmi and Bhutan takins.
A captive population exists and is managed by the studbook held at Minnesota Zoo in the United States.
Takin feed in the early morning and late afternoon, grazing on a variety of leaves and grasses. Salt is also an important part of their diet and groups may stay at a mineral deposit for several days.
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. There are four subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
: B. taxicolor taxicolor, the Mishmi Takin
Mishmi Takin
The Mishmi Takin is an endangered goat-antelope native to India, Myanmar and the People's Republic of China.The Mishmi Takin lives in southern China and eats bamboo and willow shoots...
; B. taxicolor bedfordi, the Shanxi or Golden Takin
Golden Takin
The Golden Takin is an endangered goat-antelope native to the People's Republic of China.Takins are adapted to staying warm and dry during winters in the Himalayan Mountain regions they inhabit. A thick, secondary coat is grown to keep out the cold...
; B. taxicolor tibetana, the Tibetan or Sichuan Takin
Sichuan Takin
The Sichuan Takin or Tibetan Takin is a subspecies of takin . Listed as a vulnerable species, the Sichuan Takin is native to Tibet and the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Xinjiang in the People's Republic of China...
; and B. taxicolor whitei, the Bhutan Takin
Bhutan Takin
The Bhutan Takin is a vulnerable species of Takin native to Bhutan, North Eastern India, Western part of China, and Tibet. The main threats to the Bhutan Takin are hunting and habitat loss.-Range, behavior, and habitat:...
. Mitochondrial
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
research shows that takin are related to sheep
Ovis
Ovis is a genus of mammals, part of the goat-antelope subfamily of the ruminant family Bovidae. Its five or more highly gregarious species are known as sheep...
, its similarity to the muskox being an example of convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
. The takin is the national animal of Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
.
Appearance
The takin is one of the larger and stockier of the goat antelopes. Short legs are supported on large, two-toed hooves, which have a highly developed spur. The large head is made more distinctive by the long, arched nose, and stout horns that are ridged at the base and can reach 64 centimetres in length. The long shaggy coat is light in colour, with a dark stripe along the back, and males (bulls) also have a dark face. Four subspecies of takin are currently recognised, and these tend to show a variation in coat colour. The legend of the 'golden fleece', searched for by Jason and the Argonauts, may have been inspired by the lustrous coat of the golden takin (B. t. bedfordi). Rather than localised scent glands, the takin has an oily, strong-smelling substance secreted over the whole body.Takin stand 100 to 130 cm (39.4 to 51.2 in) at the shoulder and weigh up to 350 kg (771.6 lb). Biologist George Schaller
George Schaller
George Beals Schaller is an American mammalogist, naturalist, conservationist and author. Schaller is recognized by many as the world's preeminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia and South America. Born in Berlin, Schaller grew up in Germany, but moved to Missouri as a...
likened the Takin to a "bee-stung moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
", because of the swollen appearance of the face. They are covered in a thick golden wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
which turns black on the under-belly. Both sexes have small horn
Horn (anatomy)
A horn is a pointed projection of the skin on the head of various animals, consisting of a covering of horn surrounding a core of living bone. True horns are found mainly among the ruminant artiodactyls, in the families Antilocapridae and Bovidae...
s which run parallel to the skull and then turn upwards in a short point, these are around 30 cm (11.8 in) long.
Habitat
Takin are found from forested valleys to rocky, grass covered alpine zones, at altitudes of between 1,000 and 4,500 metres above sea level. The Mishmi takin occurs in eastern Arunachal Pradesh while the Bhutan takin in western Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan.. There are also records from SikkimSikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
. Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve
Dihang-Dibang Biosphere Reserve
Dihang-Dibang or Dehang-Debang is a Biosphere Reserve constituted under the scheme of Man & Biosphere Programme. It is located in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The Mouling National Park and the Dibang Wildlife Sanctuary are located fully or partly within this biosphere reserve. The reserve...
in Arunachal Pradesh is a stronghold of both Mishmi and Bhutan takins.
A captive population exists and is managed by the studbook held at Minnesota Zoo in the United States.
Biology
Takin are found in small family groups of around 20 individuals, although older males may lead a more solitary existence. In the summer months, herds of up to 300 individuals gather high up on the mountain slopes. Mating takes place between July and August and a single young is born after a gestation period of around eight months. Takin migrate from the upper pasture to lower, more forested areas in winter. When disturbed, individuals will give a 'cough' alarm call and the herd will retreat into thick bamboo thickets and lie on the ground for camouflage.Takin feed in the early morning and late afternoon, grazing on a variety of leaves and grasses. Salt is also an important part of their diet and groups may stay at a mineral deposit for several days.
