Sichuan Takin is one of the four known takins in the world. It is native to China's Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu and Xinjiang. The other three subspecies of takin are the golden takin, the Mishmi takin and the Bhutan takin.

Mostly found in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the Sichuan takin is a neighbor of its cousin, the golden takin which is native to Shaanxi Province. Both of the takins have a similar color while the trunk of the Sichuan takin shows more brown and grey, with its head slightly light brown, and nose and underjaw dark.

Takins have thick wool to keep them warm in bitter winter cold at high altitudes. Like golden takins, Sichuan takins also migrate regularly according to the season. They live in family groups, and the number varies from twenty to hundreds. In winter, they gather in larger herds. The strong males often walk at the head and back of a group, and the calves and females are protected in the middle.

The young calves are always being put together as in a kindergarten in the takin community. There are two or three adults to take care of them while their mothers can roam in the mountain to forage freely.

Happy 'Niu' Year

February 12 marks the beginning of the Year of the Ox. Niu means "ox" in Chinese, but it can also mean "very impressive." In Chinese, the character niu is also a part of the names of animals other than the ox. In this series, CGTN goes over interesting facts about animals with the character niu in their names.

(Cover image and infographic designed by CGTN's Li Jingjie)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)