Golden Takin Breeding Success at Tama Zoological Park

On June 11, 2026, a male golden takin calf, an endangered species, was born at the Tama Zoological Park. The zoo had been exploring the possibility of breeding this rare species of ungulate.

The mother is Nazuna, an 8-year-old born at the zoo, and the father is Hama, a 6-year-old also born there; this was Nazuna's first delivery and the park's first birth of the species since 2019.

The golden takin is a large species of antelope native to central China, including the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province. It inhabits rocky bamboo forests and rhododendrons and other shrubs at an elevation of 2,400 to 4,200 meters. In recent years, however, its population has declined due to habitat loss caused by development.

The pair were housed together from the summer of 2025, during which Hama was observed mounting Nazuna several times. The zoo prepared for a birth from around May 2026, and keepers confirmed the delivery inside the animal house at around 9 a.m. on June 11.

The calf stood the same day and was seen nursing. Nazuna is raising it in an indoor private stall closed to the public, and the zoo is prioritizing an environment in which mother and calf feel secure. 

Including the newly born calf, Tama Zoological Park is home to six golden takins (four males and two females) as of June 18, 2026. According to the zoo, a total of 23 golden takins were kept at four zoos and aquariums across Japan as of June 15, 2026. 

The golden takin is listed in Appendix II of CITES and classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

The species is part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Zoo Stock Project, which promotes the conservation and breeding of endangered species kept and exhibited in Tokyo metropolitan zoos and aquarium.