Takin

The takin lives in dense bamboo and rhododendron thickets near the upper limits of the tree line in some of the most rugged country in the world. It is a clumsy-looking, solidly built animal, with thick legs and large hoofs with dew claws. The coat ranges from yellowish-white to blackish-brown, always with a dark stripe along the back. Both males and females have horns.

Old bulls are generally solitary, but in summer they join large herds. They graze in the evening on grass and herbage near the tops of mountains; in winter takin move down to the valleys, where they live in smaller groups, eating grass, bamboo and willow shoots. They are shy, and spend most of their time under cover following regularly used paths through the thickets to their grazing grounds and salt licks.

The female produces 1 young after a gestation of about 8 months; it is able to follow its mother after about 3 days.

Range: Asia: Myanmar; China: Szechuan and Shensi Provinces.

Habitat: Dense thickets in mountain forest, 7,900 - 14,000 ft (2,400 - 4,250 m).

Size: Body: 4 ft (1.2 m); Tail: 4 in (10 cm).