Motithang Takin Preserve

The Motithang Takin Preserve on the wooded slopes above Thimphu protects the takin, Bhutan's unusual national animal, a heavy-bodied relative of goats and antelopes bound up in local legend. Originally a small zoo, it was converted to a forested enclosure so the animals could roam in more natural surroundings. Visitors walk a fenced trail through the pine woods to view the takin along with occasional deer, learning about the creature's odd appearance and the myth linking it to a wandering saint.