Yak farming is a vital part of highland communities in Bhutan, supporting over 3,000 households with essential income and sustenance. Yaks provide products, like dry cheese, meat, butter, milk, and wool, and enable access to valuable resources such as cordyceps and herbal medicines. However, the future of yak farming is increasingly uncertain due to a range of challenges, with human-wildlife conflict being the most pressing. Endangered species such as snow leopards are also at risk of retaliation killing.
Since 2019, Bhutan has seen a 22% drop in yak herding households and a 28% reduction in the yak population (National Statistics Bureau, 2022). Several factors contribute to this decline, including inadequate feed resources, disease (such as gid disease), and wildlife predation according to the UNDP.
Laya Gup and Thrizin Tshewang said, “We have 52 households depending on yak farming in Laya, and it is essential for us as it generates sufficient income to support our livelihood. However, yak-herding communities consistently face human-wildlife conflicts, often resulting in the loss of weak calves to snow leopards.”
Similarly, Kinley Dorji, leader of the Gakey Langor Tshogpa, said, “Currently, we have a total of 3,600 yaks in Laya. Yaks are incredibly valuable to us; they are our most useful animals. We rely on them not only for producing essential products, like milk, butter, and wool but also for practical purposes. They are the only domestic animals we use to plow fields, carry goods, and navigate the challenging, snowy terrain. Their versatility and importance to our daily lives cannot be overstated.”
However, the growing threat of wild predators, like snow leopards, Himalayan wolves, Asiatic wild dogs, and bears has intensified. Snow leopards mainly target vulnerable calves, while Asiatic wild dogs frequently attack adult yaks. On average, wild predators kill around 159 yaks annually, causing significant losses for herders.
“When a yak is killed by a wild predator, nothing can be done. The entire animal is gone, with no carcass left behind. For a family, losing a yak is a devastating blow,” he said.
He added, “Yak-rearing communities in Bhutan are also crucial for border demarcation. However, the declining yak population poses risks beyond economic losses; it could lead to the loss of these communities as people migrate due to rapid economic development.”
Kinley Dorji further emphasized that fewer household members are available to look after the yaks, increasing their vulnerability to predators and escalating the conflict.
“The loss of yaks to wildlife is not just a financial setback for herders; it also might trigger retaliatory killings of predators, further endangering species like the snow leopard. To address this, it is crucial to compensate yak-rearing communities for their losses, as they have no means to protect their livestock from these endangered predators,” he said.
According to the National Snow Leopard Survey (2022-2023), 134 snow leopards in the country are at risk of retaliatory killings.
Despite these challenges, highland communities are actively seeking solutions to mitigate wildlife predation. One such initiative involves using portable iron mesh enclosures to protect yak calves.
Kinley Dorji explained, “Previously, we used to tie ropes around the yak calves and keep them in our sheds. However, this was ineffective, as predators would take the calves along with the rope and eat them. With the iron mesh enclosures, we can securely keep the calves inside and protect them effectively.”
However, he added, “The only products we get from yaks are milk, butter, cheese, wool, and occasionally meat. With that income, we have to manage our entire livelihood—sending our children to school, buying clothes, and covering our daily expenses. At the same time, we also need to use this income to feed, treat, and care for the yaks, which puts us in a very difficult position.”
In support of these communities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is continuing efforts to preserve Bhutan’s highland traditions and safeguard the yak population. The crowdfunding campaign for the “Peace on the Peaks” initiative aims to significantly impact both local livelihoods and the fragile mountain ecosystem.
Donations raised through this initiative will fund the purchase and distribution of portable iron mesh enclosures to 149 yak-rearing households across Bhutan’s highlands. These enclosures will protect vulnerable baby yaks from wildlife predation, particularly from snow leopards and other predators that threaten the herder’s livelihoods. By shielding young yaks from these dangers, the initiative helps secure the highlander’s income and reduces the need for retaliatory killings of endangered predators, such as snow leopards, which are essential for maintaining ecological balance in the region.
The goal is to equip more than 2,000 calves and 134 snow leopards with the protection they desperately need. The focus is on fostering human-wildlife coexistence, promoting sustainable practices, and protecting both the highland communities and the threatened wildlife species.
Kinley Dorji said, “I want to see or hear about yaks even a hundred years from now.”