Why in news
Nearly 40 yaks from Chinese have ventured into Indian territory in the Demchok area of eastern Ladakh
They are under Demchok villager’s control, there should be a proper mechanism to return, said the Demchok councillor
Yak
The Yak belongs to the Bovini tribe, which also includes bison, buffaloes, and cattle.
It can tolerate temperatures as low as-40 degrees Celsius.
Adapted for living at high altitudes
They have long hair that hangs off their sides like a curtain, sometimes touching the ground.
Yaks are highly valued by Himalayan peoples.
According to Tibetan legend, the first yaks were domesticated by Tibetan Buddhism founder Guru Rinpoche.
They are also known as the lifeline of pastoral nomads in high altitudes of the Indian Himalayan region.
Yaks are traditionally reared under a transhumance system which is primitive, unorganised and full of hardship.
They are endemic to the Tibetan Plateau and the adjacent high-altitude regions.
The yak-rearing states of India are Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir
Protection Status of Wild Yak (Bos mutus):
IUCN Red list status: Vulnerable
IUCN considers the wild species of yak under Bos mutus, while the domestic form is considered under Bos grunniens.
CITES: Appendix I
Indian WildLife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule I
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