# Mishmi takin (*Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor*) The Mishmi takin is a large, furry animal that lives in the mountains. It has big, curved horns and loves to munch on grass and leaves. These gentle giants are very special and not often seen! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Mishmi takin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Takin_indick%C3%BD_1.jpg&width=800) Photo: Karelj, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Takin_indick%C3%BD_1.jpg) ## Appearance The Mishmi takin has a shaggy, golden-brown coat that can appear reddish or yellowish, with a dark stripe along its back. Its large head features a Roman nose and sturdy, ridged horns that curve backwards and upwards, making it look like a unique blend of a goat and an ox. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Artiodactyla - **Family:** Bovidae - **Genus:** Budorcas ## Interesting facts - Baby takins are born with a dark coat that helps them hide from danger. - Mishmi takins sometimes create salt licks by pawing at the soil for minerals! - They can stand on their hind legs to reach tasty leaves and branches. - They travel in herds of up to 300 animals, making a lot of noise! ## Special abilities - **Mountain Master:** Mishmi takin can climb steep, rocky slopes with ease because of their strong legs and specialized hooves that provide excellent grip. - **Forest Camouflage:** Mishmi takin has a thick, shaggy coat that blends perfectly with dense bamboo and rhododendron forests, helping them hide. - **Scent Messaging:** Mishmi takin can mark their territory by rubbing oily faces on trees, leaving scent signals for other takins. - **Digestive Dynamo:** Mishmi takin has a four-chambered stomach that helps them digest tough plants, like bamboo, that others can't. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 160-220 cm - **Weight:** 150-350 kg - **Lifespan:** 12-15 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 210-240 days ## Diet & Feeding These large mountain mammals munch on tough plants, leaves, and bamboo shoots found high in the Himalayas. - **Primary Foods:** bamboo shoots, rhododendron leaves, willow, birch bark, grasses, lichens - **Foraging Method:** Grazing ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Snow Leopard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/snow-leopard) (*Panthera uncia*) — A major predator of takins in their high-altitude habitat. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Horned](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/horned): Characterized by having one or more hard, permanent, pointed projections on the head. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Mishmi takin? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Mishmi takin? 160-220 cm ### How much does Mishmi takin weigh? 150-350 kg ### How long does Mishmi takin live? 12-15 years ### How fast can Mishmi takin move? 40 km/h ### What does Mishmi takin eat? These large mountain mammals munch on tough plants, leaves, and bamboo shoots found high in the Himalayas. ### Where is Mishmi takin usually found? Mountain regions ### How does Mishmi takin hunt? Grazing ## Where to spot - [Zoologická zahrada Děčín - Pastýřská stěna](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoologick-zahrada-d-n-past-sk-st-na) — Ústí nad Labem Region, CZ · Zoo - [Grüner Zoo Wuppertal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gruner-zoo-wuppertal) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Mishmi takin: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mishmi-takin)