[ Bengia Ajum ]
TAWANG, 26 May: After Dibang Valley district, where takins (gnu goats) are often sighted, takins were sighted for the first time in Zemithang in Tawang district recently.
In the local Monpa language, takins are known as kemya. A group of takins was seen in Taksang village. The locals who spotted them took pictures and videos which have now gone viral on social media.
First, a group of takins was spotted by the Army near T Gompa in Tripe Heights, which is located along the India-China border, on Friday. Earlier this month, one single takin was spotted near the sacred Chhamling Tso Lake. The takin had been separated from the group and had lost its way. The sighting of the takin in the area excited the local community. “It is believed that these takins come from the Bhutan side. This is for the first time that it has been captured on camera,” said a resident of the area.
Lumla MLA Tsering Lhamu, under whose constituency Zemithang comes, expressed joy over the report of the sighting of takins. “I am thrilled to learn that our beautiful region has been graced by the presence of takins, the mystical creatures known locally as kemya,” Lhamu said.
“Their majestic appearance has left us in awe, and I believe this sighting brings blessings and good fortune to our community,” she posted on Facebook.
She further said that “such encounters are rare and auspicious, reminding us of the rich biodiversity that surrounds us.”
The takins found in Dibang Valley are popularly known as Mishmi takins, and people from all over the world come to the district to study them. This is the first time that takins have been captured in camera in Tawang district, and several locals said that they have seen takins for the first time in the district.
