Wild yak

Bos mutus

A massive wild cattle of the Tibetan Plateau. Long dark hair, great size, and adaptations to cold, wind, and thin air define it.

Key facts

Wild yak (Bos mutus) is a herbivore animal classified as Mammal · Cetartiodactyla · Bovidae.
Primary habitats are mountains · grassland · polar, with a range across Palearctic.
Activity is diurnal, sociality is herd, and conservation status is VU (Vulnerable).
A massive wild cattle of the Tibetan Plateau.
Wild yaks inhabit high-elevation grassland, cold semi-desert, mountain valleys, and snowy plateaus.

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

Wild yaks inhabit high-elevation grassland, cold semi-desert, mountain valleys, and snowy plateaus. They tolerate severe cold and low oxygen.

They have long dark brown to black hair, a bushy tail, high shoulders, and large horns. Males are especially massive.

Females and young form herds, while adult males are often solitary or in small groups. Herds range widely across open plateau landscapes.

They graze on alpine herbs, grasses, sedges, and lichens. In snow, they may dig to reach vegetation and build condition during short growing seasons.

Males join female herds during the rut. Females give birth to a single calf that stays close in cold open habitats.

Hybridization with domestic yaks, hunting, and grazing pressure are major conservation concerns for wild populations.