Guanyin Mountain National Nature Reserve (Guanyin Mountain) Shaanxi, China, located in Foping County on the southern slope of the middle part of the Qinling Mountains, is one of the reserves with rich wildlife resources in China and is a famous reserve, home to famous golden monkeys, giant pandas, Tauren and other rare wild animals.
However, recently, when the reserve staff observed the photos taken by infrared cameras, they found that under the bridge pit on Dongliang Expressway, groups of 3 to 5 Tauren often appeared at night.
Judging from the photos taken, this bridge pit has become one of the main activity areas of local Tauren groups.
Previously, this highway had become a boundary dividing the habitat of wild animals into two separate areas. If the wild animals in the two areas needed to move to the other side, they would be forced to cross the road, which would pose a danger to them and humans.
In order to better protect the wild animals, Guanyin Mountain Nature Reserve later restored the vegetation on both sides of the Dongliang Highway, cleared the original bridge pits, and turned them into ecological corridors for wild animals to pass through. In fact, this approach was very correct, and the bridge pits later became the main passage for wild animals to pass through the two areas, avoiding the risk of traffic accidents caused by animals directly crossing the road.
According to the type, it can be divided into natural corridors and artificial corridors. Natural corridors are naturally formed, mostly long and narrow vegetation belts; artificial corridors are man-made, such as the septic tank in Guanyin Mountain Nature Reserve, which is a typical artificial corridor. The most important task of an artificial ecological corridor is to protect life. After the septic tank was cleaned up and used as an ecological corridor, data monitored by infrared cameras showed that the takin became the most frequent animal using this ecological corridor. They often appeared here in groups of three or five, except for walking between two areas, they often gathered at the septic tank and stood there for a long time.
In fact, there are four animals that are considered treasures of the Qinling Mountains: giant pandas, golden monkeys, takin and beaked storks Nipponia nippon. Among them, the takin is a large herbivore, due to its strange shape, combining the characteristics of many animals, so it has the names “divine beast” and “six unimaginable”.
It has the body of a bear with the back of a cow, the face of a horse and the tail of a sheep, its horns are like a wildebeest and its hind legs have the characteristics of a hyena.
In terms of biological classification, the takin belongs to the genus Takino of the Bovid family, and there are 4 subspecies: Sichuan takin, Qinling takin, Bhutan takin and Gongshan takin.
Different subspecies of takin will have slightly different fur colors due to different living environments.
Among them, the takin living in Qinling can be considered one of the most beautiful, with long, light yellow or tan fur on its body, which is relatively thick, and under the sunlight, clusters of golden light will appear.
Due to their huge size, after the South China tiger disappeared in the wild, takin have become a species without natural enemies. They like to live in herds, often with more than a dozen moving together, and they move in a disciplined manner. Adult males will move in front and behind the herd to protect the females and young, so predators such as leopards and jackals are usually unable to do anything to them.
Taurus is a typical alpine species, the forests and grasslands where they live are usually at an altitude of more than 2,500 meters above sea level.
However, in winter, they often migrate to coniferous forests or rocky mountains at lower altitudes, in fact, this habit is also found in many other highland animals such as snow leopards.
Because of their huge size, when taurus walk, they have a hunched back and a staggering gait, giving people the feeling that they move slowly.
But if you really think that this species is cumbersome and inflexible, you are wrong, in fact, when necessary, this animal also shows very good mobility.
They walk between mountains, along and across cliffs, they can walk on many terrains, they can even jump over tree branches higher than 2m.
When vegetation is scarce in winter, takin can also use their two front legs to lean on tree trunks and “stand up” to forage on high branches.
Like goats, they are not picky eaters, on average they can eat hundreds of different plant species. In some areas, where plants are abundant, their menu can be up to 300 species.
Although they are vegetarians, takin have a ferocious personality that is no less than tigers and leopards. Males often engage in duels, where they establish their rank in the herd through violence, and the losers leave the herd and live a wandering, solitary life.
Generally, takin living in herds do not attack people, but solitary males are different. They tend to be irritable and very hot-tempered. In the past 20 years, hundreds of male takin have attacked people, and most of the perpetrators are solitary males.
The takin is a very domineering animal, with its strong body and strength, it will drive away other herbivores such as goats, deer, and even giant pandas in its territory. In 2014, Tangjiahe Reserve rescued a wild giant panda named “Pingping”, whose belly had numerous wounds caused by the takin.
