domestic yak

Although the yak is considered a separate species in zoological classification, it is a very close cousin to common cattle and used as livestock in the same manner.

The domesticated yak (Bos grunniens) can be found in countries that are interconnected by the following mountain ranges:
• Himalayas (Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan)
• Pamir (Afghanistan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan)
• Kun Lun (China)
• Tian Shan (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan)
• Altai – or – Altay (China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia)

The yak is also crossed quite frequently with domestic cattle — thus creating hybrids such as the pian niu, the hainag, the rongpalang, and the dzo.

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-16

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