Zoo takins

[Tim May]

As has already been mentioned by others elsewhere, the recent “Handbook to the Mammals of the World" (Volume 2) lists lots of new ungulate species.

I was especially interested that the four forms of takin are now all considered distinct species, rather than sub-species:-

Mishmi takin Budorcas taxicolor
Sichaun takin Budorcas tibetana
golden takin Budorcas bedfordi
Bhutan (or White’s) takin Burdocas whitei

London Zoo’s first takin, which arrived at the zoo on 22nd June 1909 and died on 7th May 1918, was of the species Burdocas whitei; this animal was presented to the zoo by Mr. J. C. White himself. Prior to sending the living takin to London Zoo, J. C. White had sent takin material to the British Museum (Natural History) where the sub-species (as it was then considered to be) was named Budorcas taxicolor whitei in his honour.

According to Flower (1929), this specimen was not only the first takin at London Zoo but the first takin ever to reach Europe alive. Contemporary guidebooks considered that this was the most valuable animal in the zoo.

I not been able to find details of any other takin of this form kept in a zoo; possibly they have been and not identified as being different to Mishmi takins?

Does anybody know of any zoo, other than London, that has exhibited a Bhutan takin?

 

[mstickmanp]

There was talks about the National Zoo in Washington DC receiving Bhutan Takin in the near future.

EDIT: You could find more info online. There were several articles that I found by googling "national zoo bhutan takin".

 

[Tim May]

There was talks about the National Zoo in Washington DC receiving Bhutan Takin in the near future.

EDIT: You could find more info online. There were several articles that I found by googling "national zoo bhutan takin".

Thank you, that's very interesting to learn that Washington Zoo are interested in acquiring Bhutan takin. However, my question was really whether any zoos, other than London, had exhibited this form in the past.

I did find one article on-line:-

Smithsonian Institution?s National Zoo to have Bhutanese Takin - - Bhutan Majestic Travel

that stated

"....the national zoo also indicated that animals can be sourced from other zoos in the US and Europe, which already have the Bhutanese Takin....."

ISIS does not list any zoo in America or Europe that have whitei takin.....

 

[Maguari]

I did find one article on-line:-

Smithsonian Institution?s National Zoo to have Bhutanese Takin - - Bhutan Majestic Travel

that stated

"....the national zoo also indicated that animals can be sourced from other zoos in the US and Europe, which already have the Bhutanese Takin....."

ISIS does not list any zoo in America or Europe that have whitei takin.....

Any whitei takins in Europe are very well hidden!

I think that must refer more generally to takins. Mishmis are getting much more common in Europe these days of course. Oddly, although there are four western European zoos with Szechuan, only one (Tierpark Berlin) appears to have a mixed-sex group. Goldens have recently expanded to Berlin as well, but Zootierliste again seems to suggest that only two zoos even have mixed-sex groups. For the time being, I think it's almost all about the Mishmis.

Would love to see a whitei though. Always been fascinated by takins. But I've never heard of any being kept beyond the information in your initial post.

 

[Tim May]

Would love to see a whitei though.

Me too; maybe an excuse for a trip to Washington sometime, if they do acquire some.

Always been fascinated by takins.

Again, me too.

Being able to see three different forms of takin in one collection was the highlight of my recent trip to the Berlin Tierpark. (And of course, for many years, the Mishmi takins in the Berlin Tierpark were the only takin in Europe.)

 

[Phantom Gaur]

I talked to an assistant curator at the National Zoo in DC recently regarding the rumors of them getting Bhutan Takin. He said it would probably be a few years before they ever got Takin and that more than likely they would end up with Sichuan Takin instead due to the red tape involved with getting Bhutan Takin and Sichuan are more readily available.

 

[IanRRobinson]

Me too; maybe an excuse for a trip to Washington sometime, if they do acquire some.



Again, me too.

Being able to see three different forms of takin in one collection was the highlight of my recent trip to the Berlin Tierpark. (And of course, for many years, the Mishmi takins in the Berlin Tierpark were the only takin in Europe.)

Long overdue at Whipsnade...

 

[Pertinax]

And of course, for many years, the Mishmi takins in the Berlin Tierpark were the only takin in Europe.)

Which was the first Uk collection to bring in Takin in recent times? Was it Marwell?

Can you list any that have been exhibited in UK since e.g. 1950's- there are very few of them, I know.

 

[Tim May]

Long overdue at Whipsnade...

Personally, I would love to see takin at London Zoo, on the goat hills at the top of the Mappin Terraces!

 

[Tim May]

Which was the first Uk collection to bring in Takin in recent times? Was it Marwell?

Can you list any that have been exhibited in UK since e.g. 1950's- there are very few of them, I know.

London Zoo only ever had two takins; as mentioned earlier in this thread, the first was a Bhutan takin that arrived in 1909 and died in 1918.

London Zoo’s second takin arrived in 1923 and died in 1935; I believe that this animal was a Mishmi takin.

After the second London animal died, it was about 65 years before takins returned to UK zoos. Both Colchester and Marwell received a Mishmi takin in 2000; sadly neither lived long.

Marwell then received a pair of takin in 2004 and a youngster was born to this pair in 2006; the first ever UK birth.

More recently, of course, both Highland Wildlife Park and Paignton Zoo acquired takin.

Unfortunately, I have not got an exhaustive list of all the individual takin ever exhibited in the UK; does anybody know if the takin studbook is available on-line? If it is, I’ve not been able find a link.

 

[kiang]

Never knew Colchester had takin, Edinburgh also held and bred the 2nd takin born in the UK

 

[Tim May]

Never knew Colchester had takin, Edinburgh also held and bred the 2nd takin born in the UK

Were the Edinburgh takins sent to the Highland Wildlife Park?

 

[kiang]

Yes, along with animals from a zoo in Germany, i think Stuttgart and Tallin, which gave the HWP a herd of 8 and grew to a peak of 10 at one point, but has since dwindled.

 

[Tim May]

Yes, along with animals from a zoo in Germany, i think Stuttgart and Tallin, which gave the HWP a herd of 8 and grew to a peak of 10 at one point, but has since dwindled.

Thank you; I must visit there one of these days....

 

[Cat-Man]

It seems weird that the vast collection of london zoo between 1975-1992 didn't exhibit takin of any sort.

I saw the baby takin at marwell, and it was beautiful. It is always one of my highlights of the day, seeing the Takin. They always seem to be very active + well in view at the front of the enclosure. I agree with tim on the zsl takin situation, I think that takin would make an attractive species to exhibit in a city zoo, such as london, and its about time london got some new species so

 

[Pertinax]

It seems weird that the vast collection of london zoo between 1975-1992 didn't exhibit takin of any sort.

If the plans to turn the Mappin Terraces into a 'Chinese experience'(or similar) had come to fruition in the early 1990's, then they might have had Takin, it could have been a suitable location for them. Had it been possible(cost, safety and other issues at the time prevented it, like other ideas, ever happening) a Wild China/Tibet/SE Asian type experience would have made far better use of the Mappins than what's happened to it now.

 

[mukisi]

Zoo Takin

I transported the Takin for Colchester & Marwell from Tierpark Berlin in 2000. The Director there pointed out that no Takin had been in the UK since 1923.
I also transported the 2 Takin to Edinburgh in 2004.
I also loved Takin since I saw the herd in the Berlin Tierpark, but the best experience was touching a female in a pen at Rotterdam; she let me examine her coat, her head and feet. The adult males at Tierpark all had great wooden beams across the pen doors, which they used to batter HWP were building a nice herd.
BBC Wildlife magazine vol24 #1 has an article with photos of the Bhutan Takin in the wild .

 

[Zz123]

Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand is preparing to exhibit Bhutan takin, gifted to the Thai Royals by the King of Bhutan.

Symbol of friendship: Bhutan’s King gifts takins to Thai Royals

 

[Tim May]

Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand is preparing to exhibit Bhutan takin, gifted to the Thai Royals by the King of Bhutan.

Symbol of friendship: Bhutan’s King gifts takins to Thai Royals

This is very interesting although the comment "These will be the first Bhutanese subspecies of takins to reside outside Bhutan" is incorrect.

London Zoo’s first takin, which arrived at the zoo on 22nd June 1909 and died on 7th May 1918, was a Bhutanese takin. (It was also the first takin, of any sub-species, ever to be exhibited in a zoo.)

 

[Zz123]

This is very interesting although the comment "These will be the first Bhutanese subspecies of takins to reside outside Bhutan" is incorrect.

London Zoo’s first takin, which arrived at the zoo on 22nd June 1909 and died on 7th May 1918, was a Bhutanese takin. (It was also the first takin, of any sub-species, ever to be exhibited in a zoo.)

I agree with you. Perhaps the news writer didn’t know, since it has been over a hundred years. I hope they will arrive in Chiang Mai as planned next year (2026). I’m very excited about this news.