Yaks are large, robustly built bovines with a long, thick coat of hair that hangs down to their belly. The outer coat is long and coarse, covering a dense, woolly layer that provides thermal insulation in extremely cold conditions. Body size varies between wild specimens—which can reach up to 3.25 m in length and over 2 m in shoulder height—and domestic ones, which are somewhat smaller. Adapted to life at high altitude, yaks have large lungs, increased red blood cell count, and high hemoglobin levels, allowing them to thrive between 3,200 and 5,500 m altitude on the Tibetan Plateau and neighboring mountainous regions.
Habits
They live in social herds consisting of females and calves, while males form bachelor groups; they feed predominantly on grass and shrubs, spending summers grazing at high altitudes and migrating to lower areas for food in winter.
Reproduction
They mate in summer, between July and September; gestation lasts 257-270 days, resulting in a single calf that can walk within minutes after birth. Females reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years and typically give birth every two years, although under optimal conditions they can give birth annually.
Distribution
Native to the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayan mountain regions (China, Nepal, Bhutan), wild yaks still exist in limited areas of Northern Tibet and Qinghai, while domesticated specimens are widely spread across Central Asia, Mongolia, and parts of southern Russia.
