The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or 'warm-blooded' bodies. The brain regulates endothermic and circulatory system, including a four-chambered heart. In India there are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders of which nearly 89 species are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006).

The Bhutan Takin (Budorcas taxicolor whitei) is a goat antelope native to Bhutan, North Eastern India, Western part of China, and Tibet. In Bhutan, they are found in bamboo forests at altitudes of 1000 to 4500 metres, where they eat grass, buds and leaves. They are active in the day, resting in the heat on particularly sunny days. Takin gather in small herds in winter and herd of up to a hundred individuals in the summer; in winter, they move to lower elevations and split into smaller herds of 10-50 individuals.

IUCN Status: Vulnerable (VU) Photo: Valerie