Rare Chinese Animal Born at the Zoo

Ok. This is just too funny to pass up. We just received a press release from the Minnesota Zoo, with some exciting — though strangely vague — news. The email reads as follows:

For Immediate Release
04.23.08

Rare Chinese Animal Born at the Minnesota Zoo

News release & photo attached.

Great, but what the heck animal is it? Is this not important enough to include in the email? Seems a bit odd.

My sources, however — better known as Google and Wikipedia — tell me it’s a Takin, "a goat-antelope found in of the Eastern Himalayas." I wonder if it’s not also a rare Nepali animal, or a rare Afghani animal. Perhaps a rare Pakistani animal. Perhaps not.

OK. To be fair, the email was supposed to have come with a press release, as stated, which was later sent to me. It has all the missing information and more. Here it is:

Apple Valley, MN – April 23, 2008:  A rare Sichuan takin calf was born on exhibit this morning at the Minnesota Zoo.

The calf, whose gender is unknown at this time, is currently on exhibit with its mother, father, and two other takin. (The calf will likely be off exhibit on Thursday and Friday to ensure its health and safety, and also to undergo a neonatal exam).

Considered national treasures by the Chinese, takin are rare in North American zoos: only 50 takin are found in 12 zoos in North America. Tim Hill, a zookeeper on the Minnesota Zoo’s Northern Trail, manages the North American Regional Studbook for the takin. Studbooks help zoos manage a small captive population of animals. Listed as "protected" by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), takin are mysterious animals. Found in forest mountainsides in China, the Sichuan takin prefers mid-altitude mountains, dense undergrowth, and rocky hillsides. They also share the same ranges as pandas and golden monkeys. "Little is known about their numbers in the wild due to their inaccessible habitat," says Hill. "Illegal hunting and habitat destruction, due to an increase in human population, threaten these animals," he says.

The Chinese refer to the takin as "Ling Niu" or "antelope cow." This unusual-looking relative of the musk ox looks like a small moose, climbs like a mountain goat, has short curved horns like a gnu, and snorts. Takin, who stand 3-4 feet high, eat shrubs, grasses, and leaves. They are even able to stand on their hind legs and reach branches 10 feet off the ground.

There are three subspecies of takin: Mishmi, Golden, and Sichuan. The Mishmi takin, found in India, Bhutan, and Burma, can be recognized by its chocolate-brown coat. The Golden takin – named for its golden color – is found in China, as is the Sichuan takin, whose appearance can be considered a "mix" the other two subspecies: a golden face with a dark-colored body.

The Minnesota Zoo participates in a breeding loan agreement with other zoos, a valuable tool allowing zoos to breed unrelated animals. All takin are managed cooperatively between the zoos.

The Minnesota Zoo is located on 500 acres in Apple Valley, only minutes south of the Mall of America. For more information on the Zoo, call 952.431.9200 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums.

Congrats to the Minnesota Zoo. Be sure to stop in and say hello to our new Minnesota baby!