h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can yaks live comfortably outside of Tibet? Are they related at all to musk-oxen?

Lil

Yaks, bison, and musk oxen are all members of the family Bovidae. So yes, they're related.

From what I've read, Yaks adapt well to life at lower altitudes. They adjust their respiration rate, or something of the sort. There is a farm in Michigan, which raises Yaks. The elevation there is less than 1,000 ft above sea-level, I should think.

JTG

Well put together JTG. I never realised there was so much info about yaks I was unaware of.

A NZ/Aus colloquialism derived from the work yak is "hard yakka" meaning extremely hard work.

I have only read of this as well

One little blemish I spotted. h2g2 style is 1000 not 1,000. The comma is only used for figures above 10,000

With the "Save Tibet" material on your page and this article may I suppose you are thinking of visiting Tibet. It would be a fascinating trip.

Hi L&PP,

Thanks for the comments and the tip. I'll make the correction in a bit.

There's not much chance of a trip to Tibet in the foreseeable future, but I would love to go. I'd love even more to see the Chinese give it back to the Tibetans first. The other day I was looking at the web site of the 'Yak and Yeti Hotel' (believe it or not) in Katmandu, Nepal. It would be worth the cost of the trip just to say you had stayed somewhere with a name like that.

JTG

A lot classier than "The Red Lion"

Excellent work JTG. Hope I get to sub this one too!

Thanks Ginger. I hope so too.

JTG

Really cool entry JTG. I liked it a lot - very informative and well out together. Thanks for sharing this!

- US

Thanks, US; glad you liked it.

JTG