# What Do Yaks Eat?

> What yaks eat: Herbivore, foraging style, and seasonal shifts in High mountain plateau and alpine tundra.

- **Species:** Yak (*Bos grunniens*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Herbivore
- **Habitat:** High mountain plateau and alpine tundra
- **Lifespan:** About 20 years
- **Top speed:** Around 40 km/h (25 mph)
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/yak/what-do-yak-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/yak/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

The yak is a large, long-haired ox adapted to the cold, thin air of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. Domestic yaks are vital pack animals that provide milk, meat, and wool, while the larger wild yak is listed as Vulnerable. Yaks thrive above 4,000 m (13,000 ft) and live around 20 years.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Built for thin, freezing air

Yaks are superbly adapted to high altitude. A dense, shaggy coat and a thick undercoat keep out cold that would kill most cattle, while large lungs and oxygen-rich blood let them work in air too thin for lowland animals. They are most comfortable in the cold and can overheat at low elevations.

## Help protect the Yak

The yak is listed as Vulnerable, with habitat loss the leading threat to its future.

[Donate to protect habitat](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/appeals/habitats/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/yak/what-do-yak-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.