SICHUAN TAKIN Budorcas taxicolor ©Laura Quick Also called cattle chamois and gnu goat, Takin in groups of about 30 inhabit the same dense bamboo forests as the better known giant panda. Despite being large, stocky and relatively slow moving, the Sichuan takin is quite agile in maneuvering its rocky habitat with often steep and challenging slopes. The inaccessibility of the takin’s mountainous habitat has meant that there is little information on this species’ behavior and ecology; specifically on their distribution and population size. Takins have adaptations that help them stay warm and dry during the bitter cold of winter in the Himalayan Mountains. A thick, secondary coat is grown to keep out the chill. The large, moose-like snout has large sinus cavities to warm up the air a takin inhales before it gets to the lungs. Without this adaptation, takins would lose a large amount of body heat just by breathing. Yet another protection is their oily skin. Although they have no skin glands, their skin secretes an oily, bitter-tasting substance that acts as a natural raincoat in storms and fog. Streaks of this oily stuff can be seen where takins rub. They also have an odor that smells like a combination of horse and musk. #takin #cattlechamois #gnugoat #caprine #goatfamily #budorcastaxicolor #©lauraquick #lazoo #glaza #docentclasses #portrait #china #asia #losangelesphotographer #nature photography #traveljourney #musky #rockyterrain #built-inraincoat #photojourney #artiodactyla #bovidae #caprinae #vulnerable https://www.instagram.com/p/B8o05Z3H0ao/?igshid=1c849xhx2g7w8
