If the title didn’t bring you here, please tell me that the picture did: Isn’t this little peanut the cutest thing ever? I mean seriously, if you could take it home, you totally would.
Only one (kind of big) issue: This cute little guy grows up to a height of just under six feet (55 inches), a length of up to 7 feet, and a weight around 700 pounds. Oh, and it ends up with horns that can grow to be 25 inches in length (makes your pets getting on the couch look fairly insignificant now, doesn’t it?).
The good news is this: The Minnesota Zoo just welcomed its 17th Takin (pronounced talk-in), since 1978, on February 13th, so you can see one in person without proofing your home. The little girl can be seen in the public Takin habitat along the Northern Trail, along with her mother. She was named Ying Tou, and weighed about 14 pounds at birth. She will reach her adult weight of 700 pounds in about four years.
Takin are considered national treasures by the Chinese, and are listed as “protected” by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Takin are very rare, with only about 100 currently exhibited in 18 zoos across the world.
These magnificent creatures are found in the Himalyan mountains of Asia, which happen to also be home to Goldan Monkeys and Pandas. The unique relative of the musk ox looks like a small moose, climbs like a mountain goat, has short curved horns like a gnu, and snorts (reminds me of some of my relatives…) They live in the cloud-wrapped tropical forests of the area, though they don’t usually stay in one place for long: Takin are migratory animals that live in herds and move with the seasons following plant growth – They move up the mountains in summer, and back down the mountains in winter. protected from the harsh conditions by their thick wool coats.
So, if you want bask in the glory of these adorable animals, swing by the Minnesota Zoo and say hi to its newest addition. How can you not be excited? They look like they are smiling all the time.
FUN FACTS
- Able to stand on their hind legs, Takin can reach branches up to 10 feet of the ground
- There are three subspecies of takin: Mishmi, Golden, and Sichuan.
- The Mishmi takin, found in India, Bhutan, and Burma, can be recognized by its chocolate-brown coat.
- The Golden takin, named for its golden color, is found in China.
- Also found in China is the Sichuan takin, whose appearance can be considered a mix the other two subspecies: a golden face with a dark-colored body.(This is what Ying Tou is.)
- The Chinese refer to the takin as “Ling Niu” or “antelope cow.”
- Takin live in small herds made up of females, younger males, and offspring. Older males are often solitary.
- In summer the herds combine to form gatherings of roughly 100 animals or more. In fall they separate again.
- Takin are ruminants—plant-eating animals that chew their cud. They eat more than 100 kinds of plants, including bamboo, rhododendron, and horsetail.
(More information can be found on this Takin Information Page)
