The Tibetan plateau of steppe, alpine tundra and ice desert between 4,300 and 5,200m. Remote areas of the Tibetan plateau and adjacent highlands. China, India and possibly Bhutan. Head and body length up to 325cm. Shoulder height may be over 200cm.
Females only weigh about a third as much.
Maximum longevity is 25 years. Grass, herbs and lichens. The Yak stays at high areas with permanent snow during the relatively warm months of August and September and spends the rest of the year at lower elevations. Females and young congregate in herds, adult males spend most of the year in groups of up to 12 animals. Births occur in June, a single calf is born every other year.