From ancient times to the present day, an animal tries to avoid society and human proximity. If you look at the manuscripts of Tibetan chroniclers, you can find out that these mighty bulls in luxurious fur coats, it turns out, were considered a great evil for the human race. To affirm or deny this statement is clearly not possible.
But, unfortunately, it is clear that the yak is an animal that, falling into the territory mastered by man, quickly dies. Herds of these magnificent beauties are becoming less and less. In their natural form, they are found only in the areas of the Tibetan mountains.
Unique and amazing animal yak! A description of his appearance, photographs, as well as how he lives, what he eats and how this representative of the fauna reproduces, you will find in the following. It's always interesting to discover something new.
Appearance of Yaks
It is impossible to deny how beautiful these long-haired mountain animals are. The yak, the description and photo of which you can see in the article, differs from other large artiodactyls in its lush long coat.
Among the bulls of the bovine family, this beauty is considered the most powerful. The yak is an animal whose appearance in an amazing way combines the features of a bull and a bison, a ram and a goat. At the horse he “lent” a tail. This hero can reach a weight of 1000 kg, but this applies only to males, females are much smaller, their average weight is 350-380 kg.
The body of these animals is long and powerful, the head has impressive dimensions, set low. The legs are short when viewed in relation to the body. And because of the long coat, the limbs are practically invisible. On the back is a hump. Long (up to 1 meter) and thin horns are found in both males and females. They are set wide apart, with a bend up and with a slight inclination forward.
Wool is what the yak can be proud of. The animal has a luxurious fur coat, which really can be envied. It is so long that it hangs almost to the ground. There is also a dense, thick undercoat that heats the body of the animal in the coldest winters. The hair is even throughout the body, and forms a "skirt" on the legs - it is so shaggy and long in these places.
The color of these herbivores is most often dark brown or black. The whole fur coat of the yak is monophonic, only on the face there may be light or white spots.
Lifestyle
A grunting bull is an amazing animal! People managed to tame it and domesticate it, but be that as it may, the yak is a mountain animal and in any case will strive to its native landscapes, where it feels most comfortable.
Watching a mighty shaggy bull at great height walk along a narrow mountain path, one is amazed how gracefully, without a shadow of fear, he balances over the abyss. This beauty really loves the mountain height - at the foot of the hill it is almost impossible to see him.
By the way, wild yaks, having met a man, attack him without hesitation. Fortunately, at an altitude of 6000 meters, where they like to spend most of their lives, such meetings are extremely rare. People cannot be high in the mountains due to a lack of oxygen.
By the way, home yaks also prefer to stay away from people who are calmer next to their own kind.
Yaks are called grunting bulls due to the fact that at the first sign of threat these animals make sounds resembling grunts. If the herd is in danger, the adult bulls surround the dense ring with a dense ring and thus hold the defense.
Animal Yak: Diet
In winter, yaks are able to get their own food, while other artiodactyls cannot pluck grass from frozen soil. Their favorite treat is undersized plants. Very mobile and thin lips of bulls allow them to eat normally even in the coldest winters.
The menu of bulls consists of grass, lichens, moss, young shoots and leaves of plants. The female who feeds the calf needs enhanced nutrition, because if the baby does not have enough milk, he will not be able to develop normally and grow weak.
During the first month of life, a small yak eats only mother’s milk, then begins to gradually switch to plant foods.
Breeding
The mating season in yaks begins in early autumn. To achieve the location of their chosen one, the bulls arrange fierce battles among themselves. The strongest female demonstrates her favor. Her pregnancy lasts 257 days, and the offspring appears every two years.
Progeny
The calf of a yak is born weighing about 12-13 kg. A year later, this baby increases body weight by about 10 times. You can compare a shaggy cub with a sheep, only on his head you can see bone growths, which will soon turn into horns.
Calving usually takes place in the spring season. The newborn yak immediately stands firmly and confidently on its feet. And before the onset of cold weather, the animal manages to grow stronger and mature. The calf spends the first year of life literally near her mother’s skirt, whose long hair protects her baby from the cold.
Disease
Farmers involved in breeding domesticated yaks have to deal with the health problems of their pets. Most often, animals are exposed to diseases during herd drives during the warmer months. Calves, like adults of this species, can get anthrax and tuberculosis.
It is sad to realize that such amazing and beautiful creatures are on the verge of extinction. Yak - an animal that is listed in the Red Book. In the wild, meeting these beauties is becoming more problematic. Mostly people are familiar with the domesticated breeds of these bulls.
It is worth thinking about how to restore the population of handsome horned people in lush fur coats, and give them the opportunity to live in the wild without fear of extinction.