Knowra Wild yak Wild yak The wild yak (Bos mutus) is a large, long-haired bovine native to the Tibetan Plateau and surrounding highlands. It is adapted to cold, high-altitude grasslands and is the wild ancestor of domestic yaks.
Yak : A bovine genus containing wild and domestic yaks, adapted to high-altitude environments in Central Asia. Wild yak is one of the genus's two living forms.
Thermoregulation : The regulation of an organism's body temperature within viable limits. A dense coat and compact extremities help wild yaks withstand severe cold.
Wildlife conservation : The protection and management of wild species, populations, and habitats. Conservation efforts address hunting, habitat pressures, and the small, fragmented wild population.
Gaur : A large wild cattle species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is another massive wild bovine, but inhabits warmer forests rather than high plateaus.
Qiangtang National Nature Reserve : A vast protected area in northern Tibet established to conserve high-altitude ecosystems and wildlife. Its remote steppe supports populations of wild yaks.
Domestic yak : A domesticated bovine descended from wild yaks and kept for food, fiber, transport, and fuel. Its domestication produced a smaller, more manageable relative of the wild animal.
Insulation : The reduction of heat transfer between an organism and its environment. The yak's long outer hair and fine undercoat trap insulating air.
Yak domestication : The process by which people bred and managed wild yaks as livestock in Central Asia. Wild yaks are the ancestral stock behind the domestic yak economy.
Bison : A genus of large wild cattle native to Europe and North America. Bison offer a comparison for the ecology and conservation of large wild bovines.
Kekexili : A high-altitude wilderness region in Qinghai, China, protected for its plateau wildlife. Wild yaks inhabit this rugged landscape alongside other large mammals.
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