Takin Care of Business Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bhutan

Weighing up to 350 kg (770 lb), the takin (Budorcas taxicolor) is one of the largest members of the subfamily Caprinae (the goat-antelopes), part of the family Bovidae. With its large head and snout, stout horns, short legs and stocky body, this animal does not look as graceful as other members of the same subfamily.

However, the gorgeous color of the thick coat of one of its four subspecies, the golden takin, may have inspired the legend of the Golden Fleece sought by Jason and the Argonauts. The takin lives in the eastern Himalayas (where the Kingdom of Bhutan is located), up to an altitude of 4,500 m (14,800 ft), and is adapted to its mountainous habitat: the oily, strong-smelling substance secreted by its skin acts as a natural raincoat, and its large sinus cavities are able to warm up the air before it reaches the lungs. Takin live in small family groups, which grow considerably larger in the summer.

Unfortunately, overhunting (for meat and pelts) has reduced the numbers of these distinctive-looking animals, which are classified vulnerable by IUCN in the early twenty-first century.

Answer: corkscrew

Not surprisingly, the markhor (Capra falconeri) is also known as the screw horn goat. No other hoofed animal boasts such distinctive headgear - a pair of tightly-curled, corkscrew-shaped horns, possessed by both sexes. Males have mane-like longer hair on the chin, throat, chest and legs, while females are redder in colour rather than grey-brown. Markhor are among the tallest members of the genus Capra, with a shoulder height of up to 115 cm (45 in) at the shoulder. They are found in parts of Central and South Asia and in the Himalayas, where they inhabit shrub forests at relatively high elevation. A highly coveted game species, markhor are classified as Near-Threatened in 2018. This beautiful creature is Pakistan's national animal, and its silhouette has been adopted as the logo of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

All the other horn shapes can be found in mammals belonging to the family Bovidae.

Answer: Europe

The chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is a native of the mountains of Europe, from the Pyrenees to the Caucasus; it has also been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand. Unlike the takin and the markhor, the chamois is a small animal, reaching a maximum height of 80 cm (31 in) when fully grown; males are slightly larger than females. With its distinctive white markings on the side of the head and black stripes below the eyes, short, almost straight horns, and rich brown fur, the chamois is quite easy to recognize.

These animals are found at moderately high elevations, often in very rugged surroundings, which they negotiate with admirable agility and poise. Chamois is classified as Least Concern by IUCN; some subspecies are strictly protected in the EU. Though traditionally made from chamois hide, nowadays chamois leather - renowned for its buffing and polishing properties - is mostly made from sheepskin.

Answer: Corsica

The European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) is the smallest subspecies of mouflon, a wild sheep that is considered the ancestor of modern domestic sheep breeds. These animals were probably introduced in the neighbouring islands of Corsica and Sardinia, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 7,000 years ago, but now are found in the forests of Central Europe, in France and in the Balkan peninsula. The mouflon is medium-sized, with a shoulder height of about 90 cm (35.4 in); its short, smooth coat is reddish-brown in the males, brownish in the females, and darker for both sexes in winter. The rams have striking, helix-shaped horns that can reach a length of 80 cm (31.4 in), which they use to fight each other in the rutting season; the ewes have no horns.

The famous general is, of course, Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in the Corsican capital of Ajaccio.

Answer: muskox

In spite of its name, the muskox (Ovibos moschatus) is not a true ox (subfamily Bovinae), but rather the only member of the genus Ovibos (sheep-ox), and one of the two largest members of the Caprinae subfamily, together with the takin. Standing up to 1.5 m (5 ft) high at the shoulder, this animal is covered by a thick, shaggy coat that reaches the ground and makes it look larger than it really is. Both sexes have long, curved horns; males in rut emit a strong odour (the "musk" to which their name refers). Though the muskox is thought to be a native of Asia, it now inhabits the Arctic regions of North America (including Greenland); smaller introduced populations are found in Scandinavia and Siberia. Muskoxen are occasionally domesticated, mostly for their highly prized wool, named qiviut.

All the other animals are Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates); none of them, however, belongs to the Bovidae family.

Answer: Capricorn

The six species of serow belong to the genus Capricornis. Both sexes have beards and small, conical horns that are shorter than their ears. The Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus) is considered a "national living treasure" in the island nation, and is admired for its speed and agility.

A relatively small animal (about 81 cm/32 in tall as an adult), it has bushy, whitish to black fur that lightens in winter. Japanese serows are diurnal forest dwellers, and can tolerate colder temperatures than the mainland species. Widely hunted for their meat until the mid-20th century, the species came very close to extinction, but strict protection measures have led to a considerable increase in the numbers of these animals.

Answer: snow leopard

The Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) is a large wild goat found in a narrow area of the Himalayan mountain range. With a stocky body that can weigh up to 80 kg (176 lb), the tahr is not particularly tall; its horns are curved backwards, and its reddish-brown coat has a thick undercoat that protects the animal from the harsh climate of its native environment. Tahrs have been introduced to other countries (such as Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa) for hunting purposes, and have become an invasive species. On the other hand, due to hunting and habitat loss, their numbers are declining in their native habitat.

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is by far the most dangerous predator for tahrs and other ungulates of the Himalayan region; the red panda, on the other hand, is mostly herbivorous.

Answer: Italy

Known as "Steinbock" (stone goat) in German, and "stambecco" in Italian, the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) is one of the most recognizable wild goat species, on account of its spectacular, backwards-curving horns, which in males can grow to almost 1 m (39 in). With a height of up to 101 cm (40 in), male ibexes are quite large; their brownish-grey coat grows thicker in winter.

At one point, the Alpine ibex had disappeared from most of its range, and was restricted to the Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy's oldest natinal park, found in the northwestern regions of Aosta Valley and Piedmont. Luckily this beautiful animal, one of the symbols of the Alps, has been reintroduced in most of the Alpine regions, and can also be found in other European mountain areas.

Other species of ibex are found in Eurasia and North Africa.

Answer: white

In spite of its common name, the Rocky Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) is not closely related to the wild goats belonging to the genus Capra; they are instead probably related to the takin, which they somewhat resemble. These animals' feet are particularly suited for climbing, and Rocky Mountain goats are not afraid to tackle very steep, rocky slopes; their strong neck and shoulder muscles also help them to propel upwards.

Their most distinctive feature, however, is their dense, pure white double coat, which protects them from the cold and the wind of their high-altitude habitat. With their sharp, black horns and respectable size, adult Rocky Mountain goats make redoubtable adversaries even for well-equipped predators such as bears, pumas and wolves.

Answer: North Africa

Also known as aoudad, Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) can be found in the arid, mountainous areas of most northern African countries; they have also been introduced in places with similar climates and habitats, such as southeastern Spain, Mexico and the southwestern US. Like other animals living in desert and semi-desert environments, they can obtain their metabolic water from food. Barbary sheep can stand up to 1 m (3,3 ft) tall at the shoulder, and weigh up to 140 kg (309 lb), their coat is a sandy shade of brown, well adapted to the animals' surroundings, and their long horns curve backward and then outward.

As all of their main predators in their original habitat are extinct, now the only threat to these animals' survival are humans.