Wildlifeof Nepal
Wild Yak
Wild Cattle & SerowBos mutus
Basic stats
Diet
Grasses and sedges (Carex, Stipa, Kobresia); also herbs, shrubs, mosses and lichen
Habitat
Treeless uplands at about 3,000–5,500m
Size
Shoulder height 160–205cm; head and body 240–380cm; tail 60–100cm
Weight
0.5–1.2 tonnes
The wild yak is a large wild bovine, the ancestor of the domestic yak. Adults stand 160–205 cm at the shoulder and weigh 0.5–1.2 tonnes, with a head and body length of 240–380 cm. The tail is long and horse-like, and the coat is typically black or dark brown with a grey muzzle. Golden-brown individuals, called wild golden yaks, have been reported (Wikipedia, general species account).
Its diet is mostly grasses and sedges such as Carex, Stipa and Kobresia, with smaller amounts of herbs, shrubs, mosses and even lichen. Females with young choose high, steep slopes for grazing. The Himalayan wolf has been its main natural predator, and bears and snow leopards are reported to take the young or infirm (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Wild Yak eat?
- Grasses and sedges (Carex, Stipa, Kobresia); also herbs, shrubs, mosses and lichen
- What habitat does the Wild Yak live in?
- Treeless uplands at about 3,000–5,500m
- How big is the Wild Yak?
- Shoulder height 160–205cm; head and body 240–380cm; tail 60–100cm
- How much does the Wild Yak weigh?
- 0.5–1.2 tonnes