Letter to the Editor

Yaks provide isolation entertainment

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Dear Editor,

Isolation during the corona virus pandemic has been quite boring at El Dorado Manor.

A couple of baby yaks changed that on April 23, 2020. They decided to explore the area near our facility until a farmer came and got them.

Nebraskans are accustomed to seeing cattle and buffalo, but yaks are not that common in our state.

Yaks are a wild ox from Asia. They live along the cold dry plateaus of Asia and Tibet. Their home is an area 16,6000 feet above sea level.

An adult yak is about 6 feet high at the shoulders.

It carries its head low, almost touching the ground. Usually it weight 1,000 to 1,200 pounds.

Their hair is long and silky, especially on their shoulders and flanks. Sometimes their long tail drags on the ground.

Yaks slide down icy mountainsides and swim swift rivers and climb steep rocky places.

Wild yaks are black or very dark/brown. Domestic yaks are often white or piebald. They are also smaller and more docile. Their sharp horns are like cows and can make it dangerous for us.

Domestic yaks are docile and tame. They make a grunting sound. They are used in many ways. Humans use them for many tasks.

As pack animals, they can carry a heavy load 20 miles a day. They carry travelers and mail. Their milk is rich. Their meat can be roasted and dried for food.

Yak hair is coarse and is used for mats and tent coverings. Saddles, boots, whips and belts are made from their hides.

Yaks are relatives of the American bison. They thrive on the high cold mountains of Tibet. They should do well here in the winter in Nebraska.