Meet the Humble Yak: Icon of the Himalayas
If any animal symbolises life in the far-flung Himalayas, it’s the yak. This humble, hard-working creature serves as a pack animal and essential provider of food, drink, clothing and fuel for countless communities across the roof of the world.
Not simply a beast of burden, the yak holds a special place in society, socially and culturally. This is especially true in Tibetan Buddhist societies, where it’s treated with reverence.
Here are some facts about this shaggy, surprisingly gentle symbol of the high plateaus.
Where yaks are found
Yaks are common throughout the plateaus of the Himalayas. They are most widely found in Tibet and the western Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Yunnan and Sichuan. They also live in India, Mongolia, Siberia, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and parts of Central Asia.
The author photographing a yak in Bhutan. Image: © Geraldine Peters
They thrive in areas with lots of grass and grass-like plants called sedges, which form the bulk of their diet. Unlike cattle, they don’t eat grain.
Most yaks are domesticated
Wild yaks still exist, mainly in China, but almost all the yaks a visitor to Asia will see today are domesticated. One estimate puts their number at more than 12 million. They’ve been domestic animals for thousands of years.
The wild yak population is far smaller. It’s threatened by poaching and loss of habitat.
A farmer herding domesticated yaks on a road in Bhutan. Image: © Alan Williams
While their wild counterparts are mainly black or dark brown, domestic yaks come in a wider range of colours, often with patches of white, cream and light brown.
Yaks are well suited to their environment
Yaks live in harsh climes and have adapted well. No other domesticated animal lives at such a high altitude. Their lung capacity is far larger than that of cattle, sending plenty of oxygen coursing through their bloodstream.
Their distinctive, long, shaggy coats protect them from the cold. They are strong, solidly built and used to tough conditions. They can carry heavy loads over long distances, even across high mountain passes.
Yaks are indispensable providers
Apart from their work duties, yaks are reared for their meat, milk and coat – and more besides. Yak milk is a staple drink for people in many parts of the Himalayas. It’s also used to make butter, cheese and yoghurt.
Yak butter tea is a popular drink. It keeps people warm and gives them energy. The butter is also one of the fuels used for butter lamps, an important feature of Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout the region.
Yaks can carry heavy loads over long distances in the Himalayas: Image: © K. Boonnitrod
Some years ago I visited the former home of the Dalai Lama, the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. My enduring memory is the evocative smell of these lamps burning in darkened rooms as I climbed slowly from one level to the next.
Yak milk is made into cheese, both soft and hard. The hard variety serves as a snack that can be chewed on for long periods. It comes in handy in winter when food may be scarce.
Their smooth hair is spun into textiles such as Tibetan wool. Their hide is made into jackets, shoes, bags and belts. Not least, yak droppings are used as fuel for both heating and cooking. Often, they are the only fuel available for fires on the treeless plateaus. And when they grow older, yaks are sold for their meat.
Yak meat is high-quality
Yaks are a valued source of food for people in the Himalayas. Their meat is tasty, lean, high in protein and low in cholesterol.
Yak meat is traditionally boiled and is also cut into strips and dried to make jerky, which can be preserved for long periods.
An old photo of the author about to eat a yak burger in Tibet.
Apart from being a staple in the Himalayas, yak meat is also becoming a sought-after delicacy in some western countries including the United States.
I once had a yak burger at a restaurant in Lhasa. It had the flavour of good-quality beef. Shortly afterwards I fell ill but I like to think this was due to the rigours of high-altitude travel and had nothing to do with the yak meat.
Yaks may look fierce . . .
With their fearsome-looking horns, humped shoulders and long coats, yaks have an almost prehistoric look. But they’re not fierce or dangerous. Male yaks will fight each other during mating season but generally yaks are docile and good natured, and unlikely to seek an altercation with humans. This makes them valued farm and pack animals.
How yaks are celebrated
Yaks hold a special place in the hearts of the people whose lives they share. They are shown respect in lots of different ways.
Yak festivals and yak racing are popular forms of entertainment in parts of Tibet. Some owners decorate their yaks colourfully for these events.
Yak horns are often placed on Buddhist stone shrines in remote areas where people come to pray. Tibetan women wear yak horn necklaces and hair ornaments.
Yaks look fierce but most are in fact quite docile. Image: © Alan Williams
Yaks have come to represent honesty. When you travel in the Himalayan region, you’ll see many hotels, restaurants, shops, and travel and trekking companies named after them. There’s a Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, and a Yak Hotel in Lhasa. I’ve stayed at both and can recommend them.
Nepal’s 5 rupee banknote features yaks against the imposing backdrop of Mount Everest. The 2009 version shows two friendly-looking yaks. In 2017 this design was replaced with a single yak, making the 2009 note something of a collector’s item.
Even a brand of Australian craft beer is named after the yak.
The sound they make
Unlike cattle, yaks don’t moo. Instead they grunt. Here’s what it sounds like.
Where visitors can see yaks
Anyone who travels in the Himalayan region is sure to see yaks sooner or later. They’re a part of everyday life.
A good place to see them is Bhutan. The main road across this mountainous kingdom passes through large swathes of farmland and every so often you’ll meet a group of yaks on the road with their herder. No one minds if you get out of your vehicle and take a good look at them.
A woman waits to give tourists a ride on her white yak at Qinghai Lake in China. Image: © Jose Medeiros da Silva
Want to ride a yak? Many yak owners across the Himalayas offer yak rides to travellers as a way of supplementing their income. Northern India is a popular place for this, but it’s possible wherever people own these animals.
It usually involves sitting on a yak for a photograph and being led on a short walk rather than an extended journey of any kind. But the yaks aren’t harmed in the process – they’re capable of carrying far heavier loads – and it’s a close encounter you won’t easily forget.
Header image: © Brester Irina
