Journal · Thimphu
Motithang Takin Preserve
A forest enclosure above Thimphu where you can see the takin, Bhutan's odd and much-loved national animal.
The story
It began as a small zoo. The King later had it closed, as keeping animals locked up did not sit well with Bhutan's Buddhist values, and the animals were set free. The takin did not go back to the forest. They wandered the streets of Thimphu looking for food. So about 3.4 hectares of forest were fenced off for them instead. In 2004 the government and WWF Bhutan added a gate, a small information centre and signs.
The animal
The takin looks like a goat's head on a cow's body. A popular legend says the saint Drukpa Kunley made it that way after eating a whole goat and a cow, then sticking the goat's head on the cow's bones.
Before you go
Morning is best, when the takin come close to the fence at feeding time.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Where sources disagree, we say so or leave the detail out. Opening times and rules change, so your guide confirms on the day.