Golden takin. Takin - gazelle ox living in the Himalayas (Budorcas taxicolor) Golden takin

Takin(lat. Budorcas taxicolor) is an artiodactyl mammal of the bovid family, found in the densely overgrown areas of the Eastern Himalayas. Height at the withers is about 100 cm, body length is 120-150 cm, body weight reaches 300 kg. U takin' big mouth and eyes, small ears. It is covered with a thick golden skin, darkening towards the underbelly. The horns of males and females resemble those of a buffalo; they are closely spaced at the base, expanded and flattened, first extend to the sides, covering the forehead, then bend up and back. The flattened half coming from the base of the horn is ribbed, the final half is smooth.

There are three subspecies of these animals living in the mountains, differing from one another mainly in color. Two of them are found in Sichuan province. One has a straw-colored coat with black spots, the other has dark brown fur. In the southern part of Shaanxi province, golden-colored takins are found.

Takin lives in the region east of Bhutan- along the Himalayas towards Burma And China. It can be found in the mountains of the northeastern part India, Nepal, V Tibet. In Sichuan Province, located in the southern part Central China, approximately in the same places where rare giant pandas, several thousand takins also live.

live takins in forests with undergrowth. They are distinguished by their great attachment to their habitats. The animals have thick hair, which is elongated on the lower neck, sides of the body and legs. In the mountains it is simply necessary, because sometimes the temperature there can be quite low. Takins become sexually mature only in the third year of life, and in the fourth year their horns are fully formed.

In case of danger, these animals can run quite quickly, but if there is an immediate threat, they try to hide, lie down on the ground and stretch their necks. Strange as it may seem, such large animals manage to hide well. But takins often do not need to resort to camouflage. In the mountains, their paths run along such ledges that not everyone dares to walk along them.

Takins became known to scientists in 1850. Almost 140 years have passed, but even today little is known about them. These animals are very careful and timid. Usually, when they see a person, takins try to hide, but this does not mean at all that they are cowardly. Animals can bravely attack anyone who displeases them, be it a hunter, a tourist or an explorer.

Some particularly patient scientists managed to learn something about takins. In 1984, the life of animals was observed by a famous biologist, director of the New York Zoological Society International organization Wildlife Conservationist George Schaller. The group of researchers he was part of lived in one of the reserves located in Sichuan province. Scientists were able to find out that takins usually live in groups of 10 to 35 animals. And one day, a herd approached the house where the researchers lived, in which there were about a hundred takins: several males, females, one-year-olds and very small calves.

In winter, takins descend to the lowlands. From observations of individual animals (and many males prefer a solitary lifestyle), it was found that they graze in areas about six and a half kilometers long. In summer, animals climb high into the mountains. They graze both in open areas and in thickets of bushes, as well as among trees. Takins love young shoots of trees and shrubs. Schaller counted 138 species of plants that they eat.

But food does not always come easily to them. Scientists had to observe the following picture. To get to the foliage, the takin crushed the trunk of a young tree under itself. Sometimes it broke, but more often it just bent, and then, spreading its legs wide, holding the tree with the weight of its body, the takin ate the leaves. After such a lunch, the thickets of young trees looked as if a typhoon had passed through them. It's summer.

In winter the picture is completely different. Almost all the trees are bare, there is deep snow in many places, and there is not always enough food. Hungry animals are forced to pluck the ends of branches and gnaw on the bark. At this time of year, animals lose a lot of weight, and some die.

The life of these animals is still full of mysteries. In the recent past, they were actively hunted and captured, but several decades ago the Chinese government showed concern for the protection of this rare ungulate and classified it, like the panda, as a national treasure. Nowadays, hunting them is prohibited; two special reserves have even been created. Takins are not allowed to be sold to foreign zoos. Their numbers are gradually increasing. Unfortunately, forests are being destroyed in a number of places, and this leads to a reduction in the already small range of these animals. Therefore, despite the decisions taken by the Ministry agriculture China's protective measures, Takin remains very vulnerable. But the habitats of takins and big panda often coincide, and the latter are under special protection of the state, so scientists hope that the number of takins will increase.

There is probably no person who has not heard the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece. The legend is not new. But not everyone is aware that this legend is not about the usual, familiar to us all, but about a rare and secretive animal called takin.

In this ancient mythological creature features of many animals have accumulated. Looking at photo of takin it can be determined that its elongated muzzle has a lot in common with the muzzle, its body resembles it, it has a bear’s tail, and the takin’s limbs and skill in moving quickly are from mountain ones.

The animal belongs to the goat family, and its closest relative is considered to be inhabiting North and Greenland.

There are four subspecies of these interesting animals:

Sichuan takin;

Golden;

Tibetan;

White.

They all live in different territories and have some differences in appearance.

In the photo golden takin

Description and features of takin

If we consider an animal with different sides, then the takin resembles this, that, then involuntarily the image of a moose pops up in his features.

The body of the animal is long, sometimes it reaches 2 m. Its muzzle is unpleasant at first glance, there is no hair on it. But on the body of the takin there is an abundance of hair. It is thick and hard, with yellowish tints in the area of ​​the back, head and chest. Other parts of the animal's body are covered with reddish fur.

Males and females can be distinguished by their horns; the former have much longer ones. Their color is predominantly black.

The takin is considered a very rare animal. It is almost impossible to see. Previously, takins were owners of the golden fleece. But that was a long time ago. Currently golden takins are very rare.

Pictured is Sichuan takin

The external characteristics of the takin made one think that it is a representative of the wild ones, but this is only the outer shell. If you take a closer look at the animal, you can find out that it has much more similarities with than with bulls. They are of a respectable size, like bulls, and have much in common with goats. As a result, scientists simply got confused in determining who these mysterious animals are?

In fact takin animal is a close relative of half-goats, half-rams, . But his closest relationship is with the shaggy bull. The fastening of horns among relatives is almost identical.

By now, people have made up their minds and classified the takin as a separate species of animal.

Takin lifestyle and habitat

Tibet and Nepal are the places where you can still find takin in the wild. To a greater extent they are lately found in zoos.

In the wild, it prefers to live on mountain heights, alpine hills with rocky surfaces. There should be a sufficient amount of vegetation around, which represents the main diet of the animal. Takins live at an altitude of 2000-5000 above sea level. They can go lower only when there is a shortage of food.

This happens mainly in winter. The valley with dense undergrowth at this time of year is a salvation for. They try to stay close to those places where minerals and salt appear on the surface of the mountains, which are so necessary for takins for good growth and development. Animals can linger in such areas for a long time.

In essence, they do not like to change their place of residence often; they get used to and become attached to their habitat too quickly.

Character and lifestyle of takin

Due to their rarity and secrecy, these ungulates are one of the least studied animals. It is known that sunset and dawn are the peak of their activity. They choose hard-to-reach places for their habitat. They do not like to live alone, so they create small groups. Only old males prefer a solitary lifestyle.

They are excellent runners. But it has been noticed more than once that if he is caught by surprise, he simply tries to hide. This behavior is rarely characteristic of artiodactyls. Interesting behavior Takin's begins at such moments.

He prefers to lie on the ground, stretch his neck and press tightly to the ground, listen and wait for what will happen next. In this case, the animal has patience. This may take a long time.

But due to the fact that animals choose hard-to-reach places for themselves, they very rarely encounter danger to themselves.

People first learned about takins back in 1850, but until now this animal has not been sufficiently studied because it is cautious and timid. In most cases, when meeting a person, they try to quietly retreat. This doesn't mean they are cowardly. They have the courage to openly attack someone who, in their opinion, wishes them harm.

These lives are still full of mysteries. Until recently, takins were heavily and frequently hunted. This led to their almost complete disappearance, as a result, people decided to take care of them and give them the status of national wealth, which served as a slight increase in their numbers.

Perfectly adapted to life in harsh conditions, so they are not afraid of severe frosts.

Takin food

Animals get their food during the peak periods of their activity - in the morning and evening.

In warm seasons, they group into large herds that raid bamboo thickets - it is the most favorite delicacy of these animals. They also love evergreen rhododendrons. This fairly intelligent animal has long known places rich in their favorite food. They consciously trample the path there.

The same paths can be observed in the direction of places with deposits of salts and minerals.

IN winter time The lifestyle of the Takins is changing somewhat. To search for food, they have to break up into smaller groups and go down a little from the mountain ranges. There is not always enough food for them. During this period, a sharp weight loss of animals is observed. Some of them even die.

In spring and autumn they eat grass, leaves and branches of trees. In winter they try to stay close to evergreen trees.

Due to their timidity, they most often feed in the early morning. The rest of the time they try to hide in thickets and thickets, where it is difficult for a potential enemy to get through.

Reproduction and lifespan of the takin

In July-August the animals begin their rut. From the outside you can watch the competition between males, who butt their foreheads and splash their urine from overexcitement. The choice ultimately rests with the female.

Naturally, she chooses the strongest, who covers her. From 7-8 months of pregnancy, one baby appears. Already after 3 days of his life he can move behind the female. And after 2 weeks, the baby begins to try adult food, without ceasing to receive mother's milk.

Animals become sexually mature at 2.5 years. Takins live for about 15 years.

Pictured are baby takin

Most of these animals currently live in zoos. They feel comfortable and at ease there, provided they are properly and decently maintained. They have excellent ability to reproduce in captivity.

People gradually get used to them. After the birth of the baby, the female becomes more aggressive than usual. Only with time does she allow you to take care of yourself and your baby. The massive destruction of forests and green spaces makes the takin vulnerable.

This is a typical representative of bovid mammals. It has been spotted in the eastern Himalayas, mainly in dense forests.

Habitat of takins

Takins are classic inhabitants of bamboo forests. Such forests are located at an altitude of two to five thousand meters above sea level, rarely higher. The mountains of Tibet, Nepal, India, as well as some provinces of China are familiar habitats.

Appearance of takin

In appearance, the takin is similar to other representatives of bovids, for example, a bull. The similarity lies in the presence of a huge head crowned with powerful, impressive horns. Also typical for bovids is the presence of a large body.

The height of the takin can reach 1-1.5 m. The body length is 2 meters. The mammal weighs about 400 kg.

This species has a characteristic feature that is unique to it - the presence of horns in representatives of both sexes; at first they diverge to the sides of each other, and then bend back and upward.

Takins are divided into three subspecies, each subspecies has its own specific color. In accordance with the subspecies to which the takin belongs, its color can be gray, with a reddish tint, or golden, with terracotta shades. This is the only difference between the subspecies. Their tail is very short, only 20 cm, and the hair on their legs, sides and neck is thick. But before making sure that the takin is indeed a relative of the bull, scientists had to provide a lot of evidence.

Despite the obvious external resemblance with bulls, more detailed studies revealed that takins are still closer to sheep. However, recent studies suggest that their closest relatives are gazelles and antelopes and shaggy musk oxen.

Takins are a clear example of convergent evolution. This means that the external similarity between species is not explained by the presence of a common ancestor, but by the same habitat.

Nutritional features of takins

Completely herbivorous animals. Everything that the prairies occupied by takins are rich in is included in their diet. Typically, their food is mosses, shrubs, grass, various fruits, rhododendron leaves, tree bark, and bamboo leaves. Despite the fact that these representatives of bovid animals are quite large, they can easily rise on their hind legs and thus can reach food located at a height of 3 meters.

Takins need salts and minerals, which is why they often gather in places with salty bodies of water. They feed mainly during the daytime.

Behavior and reproduction of takins

Takins are very loyal to their habitats. Even large-scale deforestation cannot force them to migrate from their usual areas. They migrate from mountain heights to lower ones with the onset of cold weather, and vice versa, in the summer they rise higher. In winter they stay together, sometimes up to 100 individuals in one group.

In the warm season, they remain separated. The mating period begins in July and ends in August. A pregnant female carries a baby for 7 months. Only one baby is born, weighing about 7 kg. In the first days of life, he is very vulnerable and can very easily become a victim of predators. Therefore, it is important that the cub gets on its feet within the first three days of life.

The meat and skin of these animals are highly prized among hunters, which is why takins are an endangered species.

Basically, their potential enemies are bears and wolves. But they do not often attack adults. It is very naive to assume that Takin is clumsy and inactive. In case of danger, he deftly jumps over the stones, simultaneously giving warning signals to notify the entire herd. Sometimes he makes a frightening moo or roar.

"Golden" takin

“As soon as the edge of the sky lit up purple... the Argonauts rose and sat down at the oars, two for each bench.”

We sailed for a long time and saw many miracles. Through the terrible Symplegades they entered the Black Sea, Pontus Euxine, and safely arrived in Colchis. The “golden fleece” was brought from Colchis (for what and to whom it is not entirely clear). This legendary “golden fleece” posed a riddle to zoologists: there are no sheep with golden wool, so what kind of animal has such wool?

They assumed different things, but now they think that the skin taken from the takin is the fabulous “golden fleece” that Jason brought from the Caucasian coast to Greece.

Takin? Few non-specialists have heard this name, and specialists know little about takin. This is perhaps the most little-known large ungulate animal. It was only in 1850 that it was first described by zoologists. One of the subspecies, the Bedford takin, which lives in the mountain forests of southwest China, in Shanxi, became known to science quite recently, as they say, in our days - in 1911.

Who is he, Takin? Not a goat, not a bull, not a chamois, although it combines the features of both. The place of the takin in the zoological classification is even less certain than the musk ox. Takin is included in the same subfamily with goats and rams, but in a special tribe with musk oxen. Or it is classified as a separate tribe, generally close to chamois, gorals and American snow goats.

Enough large animal: height at the shoulders up to a meter and a quarter. The live weight of takins is up to 350 kilograms. They are humpbacked, short-tailed, with horns curved back and up. The takin has a wonderful, rare color - golden yellow! But there are also yellowish-gray and even brown takins. All of them have coats that are richly saturated with fat, which is why they don’t get wet in wet weather. Excellent protection from morning and evening fogs, and they are a common occurrence in the homeland of takins.

Takins live in Bhutan, Northern Burma, Tibet, and in the western and southern provinces of China. Mountain forests and bushes are their habitats. In summer they feed on grass, in winter their main food is shoots of bamboo, willow, and rhododendron.

Few zoologists have seen takins in the wild, in nature. Wallace met a small herd of them: sparkling gold in the sun, bright yellow spot flowed up the mountainside - so it seemed from afar. Through binoculars they saw: three bulls, three cows and two calves walking at a slow pace. Strange: from behind they resembled... bears. From the front they look like buffaloes. When, frightened, they rushed to run, they galloped, as Wallace notes, like rhinoceroses, “kentor” - a short, fast gallop.

Only a few zoos in the world housed takins: in Rangoon, Beijing, Berlin and New York. They quickly got used to the people who looked after them. They loved to play and jump: while running, they butted with their horns “rather painfully.”

This is, perhaps, all we know about takins.

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Takin- perhaps the most little-known large artiodactyl animal. But despite the fact that few people have heard of him, Takin is the hero of legends known throughout the world. How is this, you ask? Then you should answer this question - who is the owner of the legendary “Golden Fleece”? Sheep with such fleece color simply do not exist. This is probably why eminent zoologists agreed that Jason brought the “golden fleece” of the takin from the Caucasus to Greece.

Takin was discovered, so to speak, relatively recently. The first description of this animal appeared only in 1850, and one of the subspecies, the so-called golden takin or Batford's takin, and even later - in 1911.

In the zoological classification, the place of the takin has not been fully determined to this day. There is even more confusion with it than with . After all, he looks like a bull, a goat, and a chamois at the same time. The takin absorbed the features of all three animals. So scientists are tormented by classifying the animal in the same subfamily with goats and rams. It’s good that Takin himself didn’t feel worse from this.

And yet, how mysterious is he? And he is 1.2-1.3 m tall at the withers and weighs 350 kg. The takin's horns are curved back, its tail is short, and its nose is humpbacked, like a saiga. As I said earlier, the coat color is golden yellow. The wool is richly impregnated with fat, which prevents the takins from getting wet in wet weather.

The homeland of the takins is China, Burma, Tibet. They live in mountain forests and places where shrubs grow abundantly. The animal is a herbivore. In summer, the food is lush grass, and in winter, shoots of bamboo, rhododendron, and willow.

Unfortunately, this is practically all we know about the takins living in wildlife. One can only add that in the zoo animals quickly get used to humans and even try to play with him.

And a very short video about in conclusion

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