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Phil's All Embracing Bhutan Slide Show Scenes from Thimphu The national animal of Thimphu is the takin, which is some bizarre cross between a gnu, musk deer, buffalo and a goat, with cloven hooves like Satan. Legend has it that the patron saint of Bhutan, Drugpa Kunley created the animal. Years ago, the king of Bhutan had all the animals of the Thimphu zoo released, and every one of them headed for the hills...except for the takins. They all congegrated in downtown Thimphu, congesting traffic, so they had to put them back into the zoo. Not the brightest animal in the bunch. Takins have a tough life, they have to bend their knees in order to graze. Back Next Page 143.