"This is Bhutan's National Animal", Yeshley told us as we spotted a few takins roaming and eating grass in Takin Reserve, on the outskirts of Bhutan. Our nod made him instantly understand that we have already done our research back home and know that Takin is the national animal of Bhutan.
Like any good travel guide, he also started telling us more about takins and their habitat. Takins are very rare and can be found in secluded forests in Bhutan, Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh, India.
The best information he gave us was related to the folklore associated with Takin. According to the story, once a very rich man of Bhutan invited all monks and religious saints to a feast. There came some very famous monks and heads. Also came the divine madman Drukpa Kunley. Nobody knew Drukpa Kunley and his magical powers. Everyone thought him to be a commoner. To this he was a little angry and told people to treat him like a monk.
So people asked him to perform a miracle. He said that he would oblige only if he is given a goat and a cow to eat. He ate both in no time leaving only the head of the goat and the skeleton of the cow. He then took both the goat's head and the cow's skeleton, put them together and to everyone's surprise an animal got formed and came to life in front of their eyes. It ran and started feeding in the meadows nearby.
That was how the Takin came on earth. Its a rare animal and was a delight for us to see in Bhutan.
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| Takin strolling on the green grasses |
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| Takin |
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| Taking some rest |
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