The word Yak comes from the Tibetan yaag meaning “male yak” (also in the Russian language there is the word sarlyk, derived from the Mongolian sarlag), translated as a grunting bull (a disgruntled domestic yak grunts, which is not characteristic of a wild yak).
Photo: Jerrold Bennett
The yak is a large animal with a long body, relatively short legs, wide, rounded hooves and a heavy, low-set head. Height at the withers is up to 2 m, weight in old bulls is up to a ton. The body length of an old male is up to 4.25 m, of which 0.75 m is in the tail. The length of the female is up to 2.8 m, height 1.6 m, weight 325-360 kg.
The yak has a small hump at the withers, which makes its back appear sloping. The horns of both sexes are long, but not thick, widely spaced, directed to the sides from the base, and then curved forward and upward; their length is up to 95 cm, and the distance between the ends is 90 cm.
Photo: Kim's Pics
The yak is distinguished by long, shaggy hair that hangs from the body and almost completely covers the legs. The coat is dark brown or grayish-black everywhere except the muzzle, where there are often white markings. The yak is protected from the winter cold by a thick matted undercoat, which falls out in large clumps in spring and summer. Yak wool is widely used by Tibetans, and you can often see the animals wearing harnesses woven from their own hair. If on most of the body the hair is thick and even, then on the legs, sides and belly it is long and shaggy, forming a kind of continuous “skirt” that almost reaches the ground. The tail is also covered with long, stiff hair and resembles that of a horse. In Russia, yaks are found, in addition to zoos, in the agriculture of Tuva and some other territories bordering Mongolia. In addition to Tibet, it is exploited as a pack and meat animal.
Photo: Larry Dears
Back in the first millennium BC, the yak was domesticated by humans. Domestic yaks are smaller and more phlegmatic than wild ones; hornless individuals are often found among them; their color is very variable. Yak is used in Tibet and other parts of Central Asia, Mongolia, Tuva, Altai, Pamir and Tien Shan. The yak is an indispensable pack animal in the highlands. It produces excellent milk, meat and wool without requiring any care. The domestic yak is crossed with cows, and the resulting hainaki (Mongolian hainag) are very useful as draft animals. They are distinguished by less endurance, but also by smaller size and a more docile disposition.
Wild yak has been little studied due to the high altitude. Historically, wild yaks are recorded in Tibetan chronicles as one of the great evils, animals dangerous to humans. In Tibetan, wild yak, as opposed to domesticated one, is called dzo. Popular among nomads in the adjacent mountainous regions of China and Mongolia. In the Soviet Union, wild yak was acclimatized in the mountains of the North Caucasus, particularly in North Ossetia. Wild yaks cannot tolerate places inhabited by people, and therefore quickly die out - now they live only in the high mountainous regions of Tibet at elevations of 4300-4600 m above sea level. m. in winter and up to 6100 m above sea level. m. in summer. It is found on the Tibetan Plateau and in adjacent mountainous regions (Karakoram, Ladakh). They live in families of several heads or small herds of 10-12 heads, old males live alone. However, as N.M. testifies. Przhevalsky, who first described the wild yak, back in the 19th century. herds of yak cows with small calves reached several hundred, or even thousands of heads. At 6-8 years of age they reach sexual maturity; life expectancy is about 25 years.
Photo: Shepherd
The yak rut occurs in September - October. At this time, bulls join groups of cows. Violent fights occur between the bulls, unlike the ritualized fights of most other bovids. During a fight, rivals try to hit each other in the side with a horn. The fatal outcome of these battles is rare, and the matter is limited to injuries, sometimes very serious. During the rut, the calling roar of the yak can be heard, at other times it is extremely silent. Yak calving occurs in June, after a nine-month pregnancy. The calf is not separated from its mother for about a year.
Photo: Matthew Winterburn
Adult yaks are well armed, very strong and ferocious. Wolves decide to attack them only in exceptional cases in a large pack and in deep snow. In turn, bull yaks, without hesitation, attack the person pursuing them, especially if the animal is wounded. The attacking yak holds its head and tail high with a flowing plume of hair. Since ancient times, the yak enjoyed great fame because it produced the so-called horse tails (its main difference from other bulls), which served as a head adornment for the leaders of the eastern armies. Hunting a wild yak is both tempting and dangerous. Without thinking, the enraged animal, if not mortally wounded, rushes straight at the hunter. This animal is very resilient to wounds. Old bulls were found with three bullets in the head and fifteen in the chest, and they still had the strength to run a considerable distance.
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Tibet is an amazing place, nicknamed the “Roof of the World”. And although the high mountains and clear lakes amaze with their beauty, it is difficult to move around here.
And today, as in ancient times, Tibetan yaks carrying heavy loads help people out.
These bulls have been living in Tibet for about ten thousand years. The yak is practically unaffected by the rarefied high-mountain air and it easily drags a load of 150 kilograms along mountain paths, where it would be difficult for two people to pass each other.
Yak - belongs to the genus of bulls, but differs significantly from them in appearance. The Tibetan yak is a large, tall animal with a long body and short legs. An adult male can reach a length of up to 4.25 meters, a height of 2 meters, and a weight of up to 1 ton. There is a small hump at the withers, which makes the back look sloping. The long horns, curving up to 95 centimeters, are directed in different directions, and the distance between the ends of the horns can be up to 90 centimeters. White markings on the face give this animal a special charm. Sometimes this feature is said to mean that the animal is wearing a mask. The long hair covers the legs, chest, belly and sides, forming a so-called “skirt”, and serves as bedding when lying down, and in winter the undercoat also protects from the cold. Thanks to this, yaks can simply lie down and rest in the snow and not feel the cold at all. Even the yak's tail is protected by long hair and therefore looks like a horse's. Their coat color varies: from faded black to grayish-brown.
Yaks are divided into domestic and wild. Wild ones are called “dumb”, and domestic ones are called “grunting”. Due to the fact that a dissatisfied yak can make a sound similar to the grunting of a pig. Domestic yaks are much smaller in size. People have been using animals for three thousand years to produce meat, wool, and milk. Their milk is very thick and fatty. That’s why they make cheese, sour cream, and butter from it. But more often, yaks are used as a beast of burden or used to cultivate land for crops. A domesticated animal is very attached to people. The yak allows itself to be led by a ring inserted in its nose. It can even protect against wild animals: most often from wolves, which attack in packs in deep snow in winter. Local residents even decorate their bulls and hang amulets on them using embroidered ribbons, beautiful tassels and pom-poms. Grunting yaks are crossed with other species of the bull family. Females can then give birth to offspring, but male “khainyki” hybrids are for some reason infertile.
Wild Tibetan yaks have recently been climbing higher and higher, where there are no places developed by humans. Sometimes they rise to a height above 6 thousand meters above sea level. Tibetans call them drong. Such yaks can be dangerous for people, especially when injured. The animal rushes at the offender and tries to finish him off. An enraged male is menacing, strong, ferocious and well armed with strong and long horns and hooves. An excellent sense of smell allows him to notice the enemy from afar. Their hearing and vision organs are less developed. In case of danger, like many of this type of mammal, wild Tibetan yaks stand in a circle and protect babies and weak individuals inside it. Yak herds reach 10-12 heads. Then, as in the time of Przhevalsky, they reached hundreds, or even thousands. Therefore, wild yaks are now listed in the Red Book.
In Altai, the yak is called sarlyk, from the Mongolian word “sarlag”. It was brought to Altai, Buryatia and Tuva for agricultural breeding. The animals were widely distributed in the countries of Asia and the North Caucasus. It has been noted that yaks can predict earthquakes and climate changes very well. They refuse to eat until about a few hours before the earthquake and begin to worry. Yaks are widely used in farming in mountainous areas. With their help they cultivate the land, carry loads on them, travel on them, and get milk from them.
As it turns out, this species can be trained very well. Therefore, trained yaks can be found in circuses in many countries. In the arena, they jump over obstacles and flaming hoops, perform various commands, imitate a bullfight and dance a waltz.
Since ancient times, figures of Tibetan yaks can be seen in miniatures that tell about the hard work of peasants and the help of this animal in the household. Nowadays, yaks are even depicted on postage stamps. A whole series of stamps dedicated to this animal has been issued in Kyrgyzstan. And what beautiful souvenirs you can bring from a trip to Tibet! Yak figurines, knitted wool products, food products, ropes made from yak wool. Yak fur is combed, not sheared. Due to the fact that wool does not absorb water, the products are silky, soft, warm and light. Woolen products have their own unique characteristics: they never cause allergies, do not have “pillings” when worn and washed, and relieve painful symptoms of the disease.
Of course, this is only a small part of the information about these beautiful animals. But we will be glad if our story interests you and you want to know more about the Tibetan yak and its habitat. It is best to visit these places and get acquainted with the brightest representative of the animal world of Tibet.
Adult yaks are well armed, very strong and ferocious. Even wolves do not dare to attack them, only in exceptional cases, in a large pack, if the snow is deep. Bull yaks do not hesitate to attack the person pursuing them, especially if they are wounded. A charging yak holds its head and tail high with a flowing plume of hair
In Tibetan, wild yak, as opposed to domesticated one, is called drong.
Yak (Bos grunniens) - from the family True bulls of the bovid family. The Russian name of the animal comes from the Tibetan "g.yag" meaning "male yak"
The Russian language also uses the word “sarlyk” (from the Mongolian sarlag) and the expressions “Tibetan bull” or “grunting bull2” (a dissatisfied yak grunts, which is not typical for cattle.
The homeland of the yak is the Tibet mountains. Wild yaks cannot stand places developed by people, and therefore are now quickly dying out. Currently, they now live only in the highlands of Tibet at 4300-4600 meters above sea level in winter and up to 6100 meters above sea level in summer
The yak is very well adapted to highland conditions; it has larger lungs and heart compared to bulls in lowland areas.
Yak blood is able to carry more oxygen due to the presence of a significant proportion of fetal hemoglobin throughout life. But yaks do not tolerate low altitudes and temperatures above 15 °C.
The yak's adaptation to low temperatures is a thick subcutaneous layer of fat and the almost complete absence of sweat glands.
Wild yaks remained only on the Tibetan plateau and in adjacent mountainous regions (Karakoram, Ladakh), where they live in families of several heads or small herds of 10-12 heads. Old males live alone.
N.M. Przhevalsky, who first described the wild yak back in the 19th century, argued that herds of yak cows with small calves reached several hundred, or even thousands of heads. Yaks reach sexual maturity at 6-8 years of age, and their life expectancy is about 25 years.
Of the sense organs, the yak has the best developed sense of smell, but vision and hearing are much weaker.
Even in ancient times, around the 1st millennium BC. e., the yak was domesticated by humans.
Domestic yaks are smaller and more phlegmatic than wild ones, among them there are often hornless individuals, their color is very variable, and in addition, they are highly susceptible to disease.
The yak is an indispensable pack animal in the highlands. In addition, it produces excellent milk, meat and wool, and requires virtually no care.
The yak is used as a pet in Tibet, Dzungaria, the Pamirs and other parts of Central Asia, as well as in Mongolia, Tuva, Buryatia and Altai (but there are not purebred yaks, but hainaki – a cross between a yak and a cow).
Yak is popular among nomads in the mountainous regions of northern India, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Nepal and Mongolia.
Domestic yak crosses well with cows, and the resulting hainaki (hainag or Dzo ) They are very convenient as draft animals; they are bred mainly in the south of Siberia and Mongolia. They are distinguished by less endurance, but also by smaller size and a more docile disposition.
In the Soviet Union, domestic yak was introduced and partially acclimatized in the North Caucasus (in particular in Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Dagestan, Checheno-Ingushetia and North Ossetia). But the acclimatization of the yak in Armenia did not bring results.
Now in Russia, yaks are found, in addition to zoos, in agriculture in the republics of Tyva (about 10 thousand animals in 2012), in Buryatia and Altai (single individuals).
The yak is a large animal with a long body, relatively short legs, wide, rounded hooves and a heavy, low-set head. The height at the withers is up to 2 meters, the weight of old bulls is up to 1000 kg. The body length of an old male can be more than 4 meters (about 75 centimeters on the tail). Female yaks are smaller - female length up to 3 meters, height up to 1.6 meters, weight 325-360 kg.
The yak has a small hump at the withers, which makes its back appear sloping. The horns of yaks, both males and females, are long, but not thick, widely spaced, directed to the sides from the base, and then curved forward and upward.
The length of the horns can reach one meter, and the distance between the ends of the horns is up to 90 centimeters!
The yak has long and shaggy hair that hangs from the body and almost completely covers the legs. The coat is usually dark brown or grayish-black. except on the muzzle, where there are often white markings.
On most of the body the coat is thick and even, but on the legs, sides and belly it is long and shaggy, and forms a kind of continuous “skirt” that almost reaches the ground. The tail is also covered with long, stiff hair and resembles that of a horse.
The yak has a thick and matted undercoat that protects well from winter cold, and in spring and summer it falls out in large clumps.
Yak wool is widely used by Tibetans, and you can often see the animals wearing harnesses woven from their own hair.
Wild yaks are distinguished - “ mutus","mute" and domestic yaks, " grunniens", or " grunting".
Currently, yaks, both wild and domestic, are endangered.
According to the National Research Center for Yak (NRCY), in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, in recent years, more and more herders from the Brokpa tribe, which has specialized in yak breeding for centuries, are driving their herds to the northern highlands, preferring to keep them at higher altitudes. less than 2500 meters. The current problem is that the growing season, when the mountain slopes are cleared of snow and overgrown with grass, turning into fertile pastures, is relatively short and amounts to about 120-180 days a year. And although yaks are able to obtain food from under the snow, loosening it with their hooves, grazing and maintaining them at high altitudes is much more difficult.
As a result, since 1997, the number of livestock in Arunachal Pradesh has decreased in 2003 from 13 to 7 thousand, and in Himachal Pradesh from 6 to 2 thousand.
According to NRCY experts, yaks in the Himalayas, at the current rate of climate change, may disappear in 30-40 years.
A.A. Kazdym
List of used literature
- Animal life. T. 7: Mammals // Ed. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Enlightenment. 1989.
- Complete illustrated encyclopedia. "Mammals". The New Encyclopedia of Mammals // Ed. D. MacDonald. M.: "Omega". 2007
Niramin - Mar 2nd, 2016
Yak (lat. Bos grunniens) is a ruminant animal that belongs to the Bovid family. It has a large body with short legs, a hump at the withers reminiscent of the structure of a bison, and the head is crowned with horns bent at an upward angle.
The yak tolerates low temperatures well and is adapted for living in high mountain climates. Thanks to the long thick hair that covers the sides and underbelly, the animal can lie directly on the snow even at -35 degrees below zero and in bad weather. The weight of males reaches 950-1000 kg, the height at the withers is about 2 m. The female weighs about 400 kg.
There are wild and domestic yaks. Wild individuals living far from people are distinguished by their violent disposition and amazing unpretentiousness in food. When meeting a person, they behave aggressively and attack first. When angry, they grunt instead of roaring, which is why they are nicknamed “grunting bulls.” Domestic yaks are calmer and smaller than wild ones.
The homeland of yaks is the Tibetan Plateau. The local population uses domestic yaks as pack and draft animals. Milk and meat, as well as the skins of these animals, are highly valued. Along with Tibet, domestic yaks are common in Central Asia, the Pamirs, Altai, the Caucasus, Mongolia, Tuva, Buryatia, China, and Iran.
In nature, yaks form herds of females and cubs of 15-20 heads each, males keep to themselves. In summer, they migrate to the mountains, where they feed on mosses and lichens. In winter they return to the valleys, where they feed on grass obtained from under the snow.
The mating season begins in early autumn. After him, the male leaves the herd, and the female brings a calf nine months later. The baby stays closely with its mother for up to a year. Puberty occurs 7 years after birth.
Photo gallery of the amazing animal yak:
Photo: Wild yak. 
Photo: Domestic yak. 
Video: Yak - a resident of the peaks. Asia is a blessed land.
Video: Yak breeding is being revived in Kyrgyzstan (news)
Video: Tibetan Yak fight!!
Video: The Himalayan Yak Caravan
This is a very large animal with a long body, relatively short legs and a heavy, low-set head. Height at the withers is up to 2 liters, weight in old bulls is up to 1000 kg. The yak has a small hump at the withers, which makes its back seem very sloping. The horns are long, but not thick, widely spaced, directed to the sides from the base, and then curved forward and upward; their length is up to 95 cm, and the distance between the ends is 90 cm. The most remarkable feature in the structure of the yak is its hair. While on most of the body the fur is thick and even, on the legs, sides and belly it is long and shaggy, forming a kind of continuous “skirt” that almost reaches the ground. The tail is also covered with long, stiff hair and resembles that of a horse.
The yak's range is limited to Tibet. The yak inhabits treeless, high-mountain, gravelly semi-deserts intersected by valleys with swamps and lakes. It rises to the mountains up to 5200 m. In August and September, the yaks go to the border of eternal snow, and spend the winter in the valleys, content with the sparse herbaceous vegetation that they can get from under the snow. Thanks to their “skirt” and dense fur, yaks easily endure the harsh climate of the Tibetan highlands. When the animal lies down on the snow, the “skirt,” like a mattress, protects it from the cold below.
Yaks do not form large herds. Most often they live in groups of 3-5 animals. Old bulls lead a solitary lifestyle. Of the sense organs, the yak has the best developed sense of smell. Vision and hearing are much weaker.
The yak rut occurs in September - October. At this time, bulls join groups of cows. Yak calving occurs in June, after a nine-month pregnancy. The calf is not separated from its mother for about a year. Like most other wild bulls, the yak belongs to the category of animals that are rapidly disappearing from our planet.
The yak is listed in the Red Book, but the low accessibility of its habitats makes control over its protection almost impossible. Even in ancient times, in the 1st millennium BC. e., as domesticated by humans. Domestic yaks are smaller and more phlegmatic than wild ones; hornless individuals are often found among them; their color is very variable. Yak is used in Tibet and other parts of Central Asia, Mongolia, Tuva, Altai, Pamir and Tien Shan. The yak is an indispensable pack animal in the highlands. It produces excellent milk, meat and wool without requiring any maintenance. Domestic yak is crossed with cows, and the resulting khainyks are very convenient as draft animals. http://www.floranimal.ru
Wild yaks - inhabitants of Tibet
Wild yaks - the inhabitants of Tibet - are quite large animals. The height of old males reaches two meters at the withers, and everything reaches one ton. The high withers of yaks protrude in the form of a hump. The horns are not very thick, but long and sharp. Among the sense organs, yaks have a better developed sense of smell.
Typical mountain dwellers, the Yaks have perfectly adapted to life on treeless desert plateaus, where there are valleys with lakes and swamps. Animals easily move along mountain slopes, no worse than wild sheep and mountain goats. On the plains they do not run so fast - any horse can catch up with them.
Yaks are artiodactyl mammals that belong to the bovid family and the bull subfamily. By the way, in addition to them, in the same subfamily are the bison, bison, buffalo and the gaur, guyal and banteng living in South Asia. Unlike other bulls, which can moo and roar, yaks can only make grunting sounds, like pigs. Therefore, zoologists gave the yaks a scientific name - “grunting bull”.
Wild yaks live alone or in small groups of 3 to 5 animals. The young gather in somewhat larger herds. Old bulls lead a solitary lifestyle.
Domestic yaks are found in the high mountain regions of the Pamirs, Tibet and Altai. They are smaller than wild ones. For local residents, domesticated yaks have been replacing cows, horses, sheep, and pigs for about three thousand years. People get milk, wool, and meat from them. Yak milk is very thick, rich in protein and fat. It is no coincidence that the Pamiris joke: “A hare will dance on the milk of a yak-kutas and not fail.” Sour cream, butter, and feta cheese are made from milk. They carry luggage on yaks, and often ride on horseback. Strong and resilient, they easily carry packs weighing up to 120 - 140 kilograms along mountain paths and snowy passes. Previously, when there were no roads in the Pamirs, yak-kutas were the main mode of transport.
These animals have adapted well to life in the mountains. At an altitude of 4 - 5 thousand meters it is always cold, the air is very rarefied. If we move our cow there, she won’t live long. But the yaks don’t care about anything. Long, thick and coarse hair covering the chest, sides, belly, legs and tail of the animal, forming, as it were, a continuous “skirt” reaching almost to the ground. Wool, which contains a large amount of fluff, serves as their natural bedding, a kind of mattress when yaks lie on frozen ground or snow. Domestic yaks spend both summer and winter outdoors and get their own food from under the snow.
Domestic yaks interbreed with local cattle. The resulting hybrids - khainyki - are highly efficient and produce milk and meat. True, hybrid khainyk males are infertile. Hybrid cows give birth.
Pamir Yaks-Kutas usually know their owner well, and they immediately attack strangers and animals. The herd grazing in the mountains is vigilantly guarded by the yak leader. Noticing the danger, he warns his charges with loud grunting sounds. It happens that an old kutas lifts a stranger, and even more so a predator, on his horns, throws him to the ground and begins to trample him. It is better for wolves not to show themselves where the leader yak walks.
My Askanian yak was generally quite docile. Usually he grazed in the reserved steppe and did not bother anyone - neither people, nor antelopes, nor deer or ostriches. And he attacked me because I angered him. There, in Askania-Nova, there was a case when a yak saved a man from a raging deer. A small herd of deer grazed in a large paddock. One autumn, during the deer rut, a male deer attacked a zoo employee. He shook his head, knocked him down and pinned him to the ground. Unexpectedly, a yak, grazing near a watering hole, came to the man’s aid. Hearing the cry, the yak approached the deer, slowly bent its head and pushed it away from the man.
In case of danger - when attacked by a pack of wolves - yaks, like some herd ungulates, take up all-round defense. This is how they protect young animals and weaker animals. Sometimes they take a person, their shepherd, under protection. Several years ago, in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, a shepherd was driving a herd of yaks to an alpine tract (high mountain pasture). Suddenly wolves appeared. The unarmed shepherd could not resist eleven hungry predators and rushed into the center of the herd. The yaks surrounded him in a dense ring, sticking their steep horns forward. The wolves darted angrily from side to side. One, the most desperate, rushed at the yaks, but was thrown onto the rock by a powerful blow of the horns. The wolves had to retreat. The living fortress withstood the siege,
Yaks and cows turned out to be capable of training. In recent years, these animals can be seen in circus arenas. Just recently, millions of viewers saw a circus performance of yaks on their televisions. These shaggy and seemingly clumsy animals quite clearly performed a variety of numbers and tricks: they ran around the arena, jumped over obstacles and through a burning hoop, and danced a waltz.
Like many other animals, yaks have the ability to detect various weather changes and even anticipate earthquakes. Japanese scientists who observed the settlement of yaks claim that a few hours before the earthquake, these animals stop eating food and “go on a hunger strike.”
Exceptionally hardy wild yaks are now preserved only in some high-mountainous regions of Tibet. There are only a few of them left, and, unfortunately, the number of yaks is constantly decreasing, because they can only live in places that are not developed by people. That is why yaks were included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This will help better organize the protection of rare animals as a valuable natural monument and an important genetic reserve for improving the breeding qualities of domesticated yaks.
I. Zayanchkovsky, professor, Young naturalist 1979 - 10
