Today, on March 8, 2021 the female Mishmi takin (Lat. Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor) named Camila celebrates her birthday in Mykolaiv Zoo. She turns 10 years old. She arrived at our zoo from Riga on November 21, 2013.
By nature the birthday girl is a kind, affectionate and very contact animal. Camila's favorite food is all seasonal fruits, for example: apples, pears, cherries, apricots, etc. And she especially loves watermelons and melons.
Caesar and Camila, a pair of takins who live in our zoo, is the only pair of takins that are kept in Ukrainian zoos. On February 16, 2016, this couple gave birth to a young. Of course, for Mykolaiv Zoo it was the greatest sensation, the event was extremely important and bright. The young takin was named Richard. Time went on, Richard grew up, and when he turned three years old, he went to Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve.
You can see our birthday girl Camila on exhibit of the summer antelope enclosure.
Mishmi takin (Lat. Budorcas taxicolor taxicolor) is a species of even-toed ungulates of the Bovidae family. Distributed in India, Myanmar and Bhutan. This is one of the least studied species of wild ungulates. They came to scientists notice only since 1850, but even today not much known about them.
Takins live in the mountains at an altitude of 2000-4500 m above sea level. They inhabit mountain forests with rhododendron and bamboo undergrowth; take a liking to permanent areas, which reluctantly leave even under condition of deforestation, hiding in the bamboo thickets.
They stick with small groups, but in winter, go down the mountain slopes, sometimes gathering in herds of up to 100 heads.
The coat of the animal is very thick and greasy, which protects it from very high humidity and fog.
This unique animal is listed in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
We invite everyone to take a walk to Mykolaiv Zoo to congratulate Camila on her birthday and to see this extremely rare and interesting animal.