Takin (Budorcas spp.) Fact Sheet: Distribution & Habitat

• Countries of:
  • Bhutan
  • China (southeastern Gansu, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Southeast Tibet, northwestern Yunnan)
  • Northwest India (Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim)
  • Northern Myanmar (Burma)
• Each species occupies a different region:
  • B. bedfordi - Qinling mountains, southern Shaanxi in China
  • B. taxicolor - southeast of Tibet and northwestern Yunnan
  • B. tibetana - eastern edge of Tibetan plateau
  • B. whitei - in Tibet, Bhutan, India

• Rugged and remote mountainous terrain
• Eastern Himalayan pine shrub
• Subtropical forest
• Possibly temperate forest in Myanmar.
• Summer feeding in alpine meadows up to 4,000 m (13,123 ft)
• Winter in valleys and forests to 1,000 m (3,281 ft)
• Climate change (declining snowfall and melting glaciers) currently affecting habitats. (Chettri et al 2010)

The majority of the takin's distribution lies within China, but they also occur in other countries in Asia.

Adapted from www.d-maps.com according to IUCN fact sheet. Click here or on map for detailed distribution (IUCN).

Chettri et al. (2010)
Li et al. (2003)
Song et al. (2008)