The Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environment conducted Young Scientist Talk series on Movement ecology of Bhutan’s National Animal - Takin by Tiger Sangay of Conservation Biology Department of the Institute.  A talk was attended by 12 teachers and 25 students from Jakar Higher Secondary School, and Chumey Middle Secondary School and in the audience were our 15 trainees who is currently undergoing certificate course and some UWICE faculty members.

Bhutan takin (Budorcas taxicolor whitei) is a national animal since 1985 and warrants protection by the Forest and Nature Conservation Act 1995.  The species is endemic species of the country and nation should strive to work towards saving the nationally significant species through species and habitat conservation.

The study seeks to document the spatio-temporal movement of takin in Jigme Dorji National Park. The study will address these questions like: Why do takin migrates? What influences takin to migrate? How takins’ habits vary in different habitats?  All these questions were crucial to answer in developing species conservation action plan which will have bearing in takin conservation in future.  The study has employed state-of the art field equipment to conduct the study like GPS-accelerometer collar, camera traps to document allied species, time lapse camera to document habitat change and use and hobo weather logger to document meteorological data.  All these will be used in modeling the takin habitat use in Jigme Dorji National Park.

The field works were done in collaboration with the Jigme Dorji National Park and Wildlife Conservation Division, Department of Forests and Park Services, National Center for Animal Health, National Animal Hospital, Max Planck Institute, The University of Montana, Smithsonian Institute and Kyoto University.  The Bhutan Trust Fund funds the study.  It is undertaken as a part of his research with the University of New England, Australia.