The Royal Takin Preserve is located in the Motithang district of Thimpu. The takin is a rare goat-antelope species with a distinctive appearance. The animals live at high altitudes in the eastern Himalayas. In November 2005, the takin was declared the national animal of Bhutan.
The animals in the Motithang Takin Preserve were once part of a small zoo. The King of Bhutan considered it inappropriate for a Buddhist country to keep animals in captivity and released them. Since the takin did not want to leave the site, the area was declared a nature reserve.
atlasobscura.com/places/motithang-takin-preserve
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motithang_Takin_Preserve

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Andi

November 12, 2025

Drukpa Kunley, a religious preacher and skilled tantric practitioner, was asked by the people of Bhutan to perform a miracle. After consuming an entire cow and a goat, he joined the goat's head to the cow's skeleton, thus creating the takin. This magical animal, called Dong Gyem Tsey (Takin), became a common sight in the hills of Bhutan and was declared the national animal due to its religious significance.

Source: drukasia.com/bhutan/thimphu/takin-enclosure

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Elevation 2,600 m

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