Yak

The yak (Bos grunniens) is a hardy, long-haired bovine native to the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, and parts of Mongolia and Central Asia. Well adapted to cold environments, yaks have a thick, shaggy coat that provides insulation against freezing temperatures, with an outer layer of long, coarse hair and a dense woolly undercoat for added warmth. Their coloration varies from black and brown to white or a mix of these shades. Yaks thrive in mountainous terrain, grazing on grasses, lichens, and shrubs found in alpine meadows and high-altitude plateaus. Unlike other cattle species, they have large lungs and high red blood cell counts, allowing them to efficiently extract oxygen from the thin mountain air. Domesticated yaks are essential to local communities, providing milk, meat, wool, and even transport in rugged regions, while wild yaks roam remote areas, though their populations have declined due to habitat loss and hunting. Their resilience and importance to both ecosystems and human livelihoods make them a remarkable species of the highlands.