364 T. Sangay et al.
acceptance of the species in an environment shared by peo- ple and wildlife. The Park’s periodic education and aware- ness campaigns are key to consolidating this harmonious relationship and should be prioritized and supported in the current conservation management plan (Thinley & Tharchen, 2015). The Bhutan takin could be a suitable montane flagship
species for conservation, as it fulfills the 10 criteria for such species proposed by Bowen-Jones & Entwistle (2002). (1) Geographical distribution It is endemic to Bhutan and restricted to major river valleys and mineral hot springs in the north, with the main population centred in Jigme Dorji National Park (Sangay et al., 2016). (2) Conservation status It is categorized as Vulnerable (Song et al., 2008) and is threatened by development activ- ities, road construction, grazing competition with domestic livestock, and disturbance by free ranging domestic dogs (Sangay et al., 2016). (3) Ecological role Its browsing and grazing behaviour influences vegetation structure in both low altitude subtropical forests and high altitude alpine meadows (T. Sangay, unpubl. data). (4) Recognition It is officially recognized as the national animal. (5) Existing usage Its uniquely shaped head is officially used as the insignia for two national conservation agencies (the Wildlife Conservation Division and the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation). (6) Charisma It has charismatic appeal because of its unique and readily recognizable morphology that resembles the head of a goat on the body of a cow, and this study has demonstrated that the Bhutanese have a strong positive perception of the species. (7) Cultural significance It has entrenched cultural significance through religious and mythological folklore (Downes, 2011). (8) Positive associations It em- bodies significant pride as the national animal and draws positive attention from foreign tourists through replication on memorabilia such as stickers, fridge magnets and figur- ines. (9) Traditional knowledge It is readily recognized by rural residents in both its winter and summer ranges, with significant knowledge enhancement through the periodic takin festival in Jigme Dorji National Park, and promotion of local knowledge of takin in urban areas through regular features on television and in newspapers. (10) Common names It is known as dronggyemtse in Dzongkha, the lan- guage of Bhutan. In summary, the endemic Bhutan takin is endorsed as
the national animal and locally recognized. It is Vulnerable, morphologically charismatic, and influences forest structure through its feeding behaviour. Prominent national con- servation agencies utilize this species as a logo and its strong cultural significance enhances positive perceptions by rural residents within its narrow geographical range.We propose that the Bhutan takin be used as a flagship species to promote montane conservation in Bhutan, with stewardship provided by residents of protected areas.
Acknowledgements We thank the Bhutan Department of Forests and Park Services for supporting this research, the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation for financial assistance, Ugyen Wangchuk Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research colleagues who assisted with interviews, former Ugyen Wangchuk Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research Director Dr Nawang Norbu and the Chief Forestry Officer Lhendup Tharchen for their support, Jigme Dorji National Park for field assist- ance, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.
Author contributions Study design, collection and analysis of data, writing: TS; study design and writing: KV, RR; data analysis and writ- ing: MT.
Conflicts of interest None.
Ethical standards The interview protocol was approved by the University of New England’s Human Ethics Committee (approval HE14-264).
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