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Yaks can survive winters with temperatures reaching -40 degrees Celsius. Their hair is very thick and they secrete a sticky substance in their sweat (which is not a whole lot, since their sweat glands are few and almost non-functional) which helps to keep the under hair matted and acts as extra insulation. Yaks have a double-hair coat, with thick soft down near the skin (called "yak wool" which is actually used as wool in textiles) and longer, the much coarser hair ("guard hairs") to the outside.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoWith a double-layered hair coat, a layer of extraneous subcutaneous fat and few almost non-functional though specialized sweat glands that produce a sticky substance to mat the undercoat, thus adding to insulation, and an overall means or goal of conserving heat rather than generating it, yaks are able to survive frigid winter temperatures in their native Tibetan mountain ranges that can see temperatures dip below -40 degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit. Cold temperatures are the yaks' specialty. They don't tolerate ambient temperatures greater than 13 degrees Celsius as far as performance and survival is concerned, because they are not adapted to such temperatures like their cousins being domestic cattle are.
However, that is not to say that yak cannot adapt to, to them, non-normal conditions. Yaks raised in North America in several part of the lower 48 states have been able to adapt to conditions that are 10 degrees warmer than their native home range in Tibet. That is, as long as they are given shelter and other means of cooling themselves should their environment get too warm for them to handle.
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What does a yak need to survive?
food
How do yak survive in mountains?
They have long thick fur
How does yak behave?
quietly in a cold climate
How the yak make adaptation to survive in the extremely cold climate?
Yak survive and perform adequately if the annual mean temperature is below 5oC and the average in the hottest month is not above 13oC. They can also survive satisfactorily at ambient temperatures down to -40oC. Altitude, as such, is of lesser importance. The further north (of the equator) yak live, the lower, in general, the altitude at which they are found. Yak in North America and in animal and zoological parks in several parts of the world, may again have re-adapted, over time, to life in these, for them, non-normal situations. Yak cope with cold by conserving heat, rather than by generating it - which would require food that may not be available. Heat conservation is effected by a compact conformation, a thick fleece of coarse outer hair and an undercoat of fine down. The proportion of down in the coat increases greatly before the onset of winter. Young calves have a fleece composed exclusively of down fibre. Normally, yak accumulate a layer of subcutaneous fat prior to winter. This also helps heat conservation and provides an energy reserve. The skin is relatively thick. It contains sweat glands, though for the most part, these are not functional. This is one reason why yak are intolerant of high ambient temperature.
Why does the yak live in cold places?
i guess because it has fur
Can a snail survive cold temperatures?
Yes, snails can survive cold temperatures. The snails will stay out until the temperature turns to freezing then they will seek shelter.
Can Madagascan Hissing Cockroaches survive cold temperatures?
no
Why is it impossible to catch a cold at the North Pole?
Probably because the virus cannot survive the cold temperatures there.
What does a yak need to survive?
food
How do walrus live?
they have a layer of blubber so they can survive the harshly cold temperatures in the artic
How does fauna survive in the tundra?
Animals need thick coats to survive in the cold temperatures and often have a protective coloring to hide from predators.
Why does animals survive under cold temperatures?
Because they have coats and lots and lots of layers of skin!
Does the blue poison dart frog prefer warm or cold temperatures?
Warm; because they are cold blooded they need to be warm to survive.
How does the Dusky Dolphin survive in cold temperatures?
they have a tiny bit of hair which helps them stand the water. They are born in cold water too.
Are there yak's in Asia?
The yak is found in some parts of Asia. There are two types of yak, the domestic and wild yak. The wild yak is much bigger than the domestic yak. The yak is a cold climate animal and travels in snow.
Does a yak live in the coastal plains?
The Yak is a high altitude dweller and can survive at altitudes of 20,000 feet
How do yak survive in mountains?
They have long thick fur
