The Potawatomi Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of a Sichuan takin kid. The kid was born to mother, Yi-Liu, and father, Caboose, on March 2, 2022. she has been checked by the Zoo staff and has been determined to be a healthy female. Currently, the kid weighs around 23 pounds.

“This is our first takin kid since 2019, and we couldn’t be happier,” says Josh Sisk, executive director of the Potawatomi Zoo. “Not a lot of people have even heard of Sichuan takin, and we hope that by coming to the Zoo and seeing this baby, they’ll be inspired to learn more about this really cool, rare Asian species.”

The Sichuan takin kid is living in the main takin habitat with her mother and herd.

Sichuan takin are a vulnerable species native to Tibet and the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, and Xinjiang in the People’s Republic of China. Their habitat is mid- to high-altitude mountains, with dense undergrowth and rocky hillsides. They eat shrubs, grasses, and leaves. Takin range in size from 3-4 feet tall at the shoulder and 550-770 pounds. Male Sichuan takin have a distinctive golden coat, while female takin are brown.

This birth was part of a recommended breeding by the Sichuan takin Species Survival Plan program. Fewer than 20 zoos have Sichuan takin in the United States, and they are all part of the Species Survival Plan.