A birth at the San Diego Zoo marked a milestone for an animal considered threatened in its native land.
Linshuh, a two-week-old Sichuan Takin calf, took his first climb Tuesday at the San Diego Zoo.
Linshuh, whose name means "silver snake" in Mandarin, was born on Feb. 2.
Weighing around 19 pound, the animal is described as a goat-antelope with split hooves.
Like the panda, takins are considered national treasures in China.
Unfortunately, their numbers are decreasing in the wild because of farming, mining, and logging operations.
In 1989, the first Sichuan Takin born outside China was born here in San Diego.
Linshuh now represents the 54th Takin born at the zoo that boasts the most successful breeding program of Sichuan Takins in the U.S.
Photo Credit: Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.