News: The Mishmi takin is an elusive mountain ungulate found in the mist-covered Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh. It holds cultural, ecological, and symbolic importance for local communities.
About Mishmi Takin
- The Mishmi takin is a goat-antelope native to Asia.
- It is a subspecies of takin.
- Habitat: The Mishmi takin thrives in diverse ecosystems, including pine scrub, subtropical forests, and alpine meadows.
- Distribution: The Mishmi takin is found in Northeast India, especially in eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
- It also occurs in northern Myanmar and in parts of China, including regions near Tibet.
- Appearance: The Mishmi takin has a stocky body and a deep chest, which gives it a strong and powerful appearance.
- It has a large head with a long, arched nose that makes the animal distinctive.
- Both males and females possess stout horns that are ridged at the base and curve upward to a short point.
- It has a long, shaggy coat that is oily in nature and helps protect it from cold and fog in mountainous regions.
- Behaviour: It usually lives in small family groups consisting of about twenty individuals.
- Older males often lead a solitary life outside the herd.
- During summer, large herds of up to three hundred individuals gather on high mountain slopes where food and mineral resources are available.
- It is a diurnal animal and feeds mainly during the early morning and late afternoon.
- It can stand on its hind legs to reach leaves that are more than three meters high.
- In spring, Mishmi takins migrate upward into the mountains, while in winter they move down to lower, forested areas to survive harsh conditions.
- When threatened, the Mishmi takin gives a cough-like alarm call, and the herd retreats into thick bamboo thickets for camouflage and safety.
- Diet: The Mishmi takin is a herbivorous animal that feeds mainly on bamboo and willow shoots.
- Threat: The Mishmi takin faces major threats from overhunting and habitat loss caused by deforestation.
- IUCN Status: At present, the Mishmi takin has not been evaluated by the IUCN Red List, and its population size remains unknown.
