# Yak (*Bos grunniens*)

> 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.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** High mountains and plateaus of Central Asia, especially the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/yak/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Bovidae
- **Genus:** Bos

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Bos grunniens (domestic), Bos mutus (wild) |
| Diet | Herbivore |
| Habitat | High mountain plateau and alpine tundra |
| Lifespan | About 20 years |
| Weight | 300–1,000 kg (660–2,200 lb) |
| Top speed | Around 40 km/h (25 mph) |
| Conservation status | Wild yak: Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## 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.

## The mountain workhorse

For the peoples of the Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau, the domestic yak is indispensable. It carries loads across high passes, plows fields, and provides milk, butter, meat, wool, and even dung for fuel. Yaks grunt rather than moo, which gives the wild species its name, Bos mutus, the 'mute ox.'

## Wild yaks

Wild yaks are much larger and darker than their domestic cousins, with bulls standing around 2 m (6.5 ft) at the shoulder. They roam remote, treeless uplands in herds and are far more formidable, capable of defending themselves against wolves.

## Conservation

While domestic yaks number in the millions, the wild yak is listed as Vulnerable, reduced by hunting and by competition and interbreeding with domestic herds. Remote protected areas on the Tibetan Plateau are key to the wild yak's future.

## Frequently asked questions

### Where do yaks live?

Yaks live on the high mountains and plateaus of Central Asia, especially the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau, often above 4,000 m (13,000 ft).

### What are yaks used for?

Domestic yaks are used as pack and plow animals and provide milk, butter, meat, wool, and dung for fuel, making them central to life in the high mountains.

### Are yaks endangered?

Domestic yaks are abundant, but the larger wild yak is listed as Vulnerable due to hunting and competition with domestic herds.

### How do yaks survive high altitude?

Yaks have large lungs, oxygen-rich blood, and a thick shaggy coat, letting them work and stay warm in cold, thin mountain air where other cattle cannot.

### Do yaks moo?

Yaks grunt rather than moo, which is why the wild yak's scientific name, Bos mutus, means the 'mute ox.'

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Bos grunniens.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Bos%20grunniens&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Bos grunniens. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bos_grunniens/)
- [Wikipedia — Yak.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yak)

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