What is Domestic yak?
{{redirect|Yak|the related species Bos mutus|Wild yak|other uses|Yak (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2012}} {{Speciesbox | name = Yak | status = DOM | image = Bos grunniens at Letdar on Annapurna Circuit.jpg | image_caption = A yak in the [[Nepal]]ese [[Himalayas]]. | taxon = Bos grunniens | authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1766 }} The '''domestic yak''' (''Bos grunniens'') also known as the '''Tartary ox''', '''grunting ox, or hairy cattle''' is a long-haired [[domestication|domesticated]] [[bovid]] found throughout the [[Himalayas|Himalayan]] region of the [[Indian subcontinent]], the [[Tibetan Plateau]] and as far north as [[Mongolia]] and [[Russia]]. It is descended from the [[wild yak]] (''Bos mutus'').<ref name = MSW3>{{MSW3 Artiodactyla | id = 14200680 | page = 691}}</ref> == History == Scientists have used genetics and archaeology to study the history of yaks. They have found that there were domesticated yaks on the Tibetan Plateau 2,500 years ago.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Louis|first=Washington University in St|title=Earliest evidence for domestic yak found using both archaeology and ancient DNA|url=https://phys.org/news/2023-12-earliest-evidence-domestic-yak-archaeology.html|access-date=2023-12-16|website=phys.org|language=en}}</ref> == Use == Yaks are kept for their milk, wool, and meat. Also, they are used for transportation. Their dried droppings are burned as fuel in fires. ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Bovines|Yak, Domestic]] [[Category:Domesticated animals|yak]] [[Category:Mammals of Pakistan|Yak, Domestic]] [[Category:Mammals of Asia|Yak, Domestic]]