Long-haired domesticated cattle of the Himalayas, the Tibetan Plateau and the mountains of Central Asia, north to Mongolia and Siberia. It is descended from the wild yak.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?Yes
Most yaks are domestic; they descend from the wild yak, a separate species.
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Kept for milk, wool and meat, and some farmers' only meat through harsh winters.
At a glance
Found inAsia
HabitatMountains, Grassland
ColoursBlack, Brown, White
SizeHuge
Weight300–1,000 kg
Legs4
Covered inWool
Lives inherds
Lives for20–25 years
In the wild
- Where it lives
- The Himalayas, Tibetan Plateau, Pamirs and Tajikistan, north to Mongolia and Siberia.
Did you know
Its blood carries more oxygen than a cow's, because it keeps foetal haemoglobin all its life.
Often confused with
- Cow
Yaks are close relatives of cattle and bison, adapted to high altitude.
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