What do yaks eat?
Yaks are big furry animals that live high on cold mountains. Here is an easy way to understand their food.
What they like to eat
- Grass — the main food. They eat lots of it when it grows in summer.
- Shrubs and leaves — small bushes and plant leaves when grass is scarce.
- Lichens and moss — soft, sponge-like plants that grow on rocks and ground.
- Hay and grain — farmers give these to pet or farm yaks in winter when snow covers the grass.
How they eat (step by step)
- Yaks walk on the mountain to find plants.
- They bite off grass or leaves with their teeth.
- Yaks are ruminants, which means they swallow, bring the food back up, and chew it again. It helps them get more nutrients.
- Baby yaks drink their mother’s milk until they are old enough to eat plants.
Why their food matters
Their thick fur helps them stay warm so they can eat outside even when it is freezing. When snow hides the grass, they dig through snow or eat hay given by people.
Fun fact
Yaks can eat plants that many other animals don’t like. That helps them survive where food is hard to find.
Can you draw a yak eating grass? What color is its fur?