Yak

A yak is a long-haired bovine animal that belongs to the buffalo family. It lives in the middle of Asia, especially in the Himalayas. The name comes from the language of Tibet. The animal is also called the Tibetan Grunt Ox.

Most yaks are bred and belong to farmers or nomads. The few yaks in the wild are threatened with extinction. Males in the wild grow over two metres tall when measured from the ground to the shoulders. The yaks on the farms are almost half that height.

The yaks' fur is long and thick. With it they can keep warm well, because they live in the mountains where it is cold. Other cattle could hardly survive there.

People keep yaks for the wool and the milk. From the wool they make clothes and tents. Yaks can carry heavy loads and pull carts. That is why they are also used to work in the fields. After slaughtering, they provide meat, and the skin is used to make leather. People also burn the dung of yaks for heating or to cook something over the fire. The dung is often the only fuel the people have there. There are no more trees so high up in the mountains.