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38-618: The Langtang Himal forms the western portion of a complex of mountains which also includes the Jugal Himal, home of Shishapangma. This complex lies between the Sun Kosi valley on the east and the Trisuli Gandaki valley on the west. Langtang Lirung lies near the Trisuli Gandaki, and north of the Langtang Khola. At a distance of 4km towards the east, Tsangbu Ri is located. Though not high by

76-696: A Tibetan language that is closely related to the Tibetan spoken in Kyirong , southern Tibet. The Langtangpas regard the mountain Langtang Lirung as their 'yu-lha', their local country god. However, in the state census, the Langtangpas are categorised as Tamang . Langtang valley is believed to be the Beyul Dagam Namgo, one of the many hidden valleys blessed by Guru Padmasambhava . The traditional livelihoods of

114-1067: A mixture of both taurine and zebu types of cattle ( B. p. taurus and B. p. indicus ) with yak. According to the International Veterinary Information Service , the low productivity of second-generation cattle–yak crosses makes them suitable only as meat animals. Crosses between yaks and domestic cattle ( Bos primigenius taurus ) have been recorded in Chinese literature for at least 2,000 years. Successful crosses have also been recorded between yak and American bison , gaur , and banteng , generally with similar results to those produced with domestic cattle. Jacques et al. (2021) show that most elaborate yak-related terminologies are found within Tibetic and Gyalrongic languages. Both branches also have native terms for yak-cattle hybrids , suggesting that Tibetic and Gyalrongic speakers may have independently cross-bred yaks and cattle, predating

152-454: A more upright shape. Both sexes have a short neck with a pronounced hump over the shoulders, although this is larger and more visible in males. Males weigh 350 to 585 kg (772 to 1,290 lb), females weigh 225 to 255 kg (496 to 562 lb). Wild (feral) yaks can be substantially heavier, bulls reaching weights of up to 1,000 kg (2,200 lb). Depending on the breed, domestic yak males are 111–138 cm (44–54 in) high at

190-400: A wide range of coat colours, with some individuals being white, grey, brown, roan or piebald . The udder in females and the scrotum in males are small and hairy as protection against the cold. Females have four teats . Yaks are not known to produce the characteristic lowing (mooing) sound of cattle, but both wild and domestic yaks grunt and squeak, which inspired the scientific name of

228-641: Is known to be the third most popular trek in Nepal, after the Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp (EBC) treks. There are several treks that go through the Langtang valley and link it to nearby valleys, like the Helambu valley. In most of these treks, one can stay at local 'tea-houses', which are run by locals in nearly every village in the valley, and where one gets basic lodging and food. Around 2000, with support of

266-682: Is likely that this may be somewhat shorter in the wild. For thousands of years, domesticated yaks have been kept in Mongolia and Tibet, primarily for their milk, fibre (wool), and meat, and as beasts of burden . Their dried droppings are an important fuel, used all over Tibet, and are often the only fuel available on the high, treeless Tibetan Plateau . Yaks transport goods across mountain passes for local farmers and traders and are an attraction for climbing and trekking expeditions: "Only one thing makes it hard to use yaks for long journeys in barren regions. They will not eat grain , which could be carried on

304-572: Is located at Dirang , Arunachal Pradesh , and maintains a yak farm in the Nyukmadung area at an altitude of 2,750 metres (9,020 ft) above MSL. In Nepal , Tibet , and Mongolia , domestic cattle are crossbred with yaks. This gives rise to the infertile male dzo མཛོ། as well as fertile females known as dzomo or zhom མཛོ་མོ།, which may be crossed again with cattle. The Dwarf Lulu breed, "the only Bos primigenius taurus type of cattle in Nepal" has been tested for DNA markers and found to be

342-777: The Bagmati Province in Nepal. Situated about 80 kilometres north of the Kathmandu Valley , the valley lies within the Langtang National Park , which borders the Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China . Prior to the 2015 earthquake, 668 individuals were estimated to be living within the valley. The Langtang Valley lies within the Langtang National Park . The park contains a wide variety of climatic zones, from subtropical to alpine. Approximately 25% of

380-579: The Tartary ox , grunting ox , hairy cattle , or domestic yak , is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of Gilgit-Baltistan ( Kashmir , Pakistan ), Nepal , Sikkim ( India ), the Tibetan Plateau ( China ), Tajikistan and as far north as Mongolia and Siberia . It is descended from the wild yak ( Bos mutus ). The English word yak originates from

418-589: The Tibetan : གཡག་ , Wylie : g.yag . In Tibetan and Balti it refers only to the male of the species, the female being called Tibetan : འབྲི་ , Wylie : dri , Tibetan : འབྲི་ , Wylie : dri or Tibetan : གནག , Wylie : g.nag in Tibetan and Tibetan : ཧཡག་མོ་ , Wylie : hYag-mo in Balti. In English, as in most other languages that have borrowed the word, yak is usually used for both sexes, with bull or cow referring to each sex separately. Belonging to

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456-549: The United Nations Development Programme , some of these were equipped with solar panels so that hikers could shower with warm water. There are several mountain-climbing options available too in the Langtang valley, ranging from relatively easy-to-climb peaks around 5,000 m high, such as Kyanjin Ri and Tsergo Ri , to technically challenging peaks, such as Dorje Lhakpa and Langtang Lirung . The village of Langtang

494-479: The 1970s. The intergovernmental organisation ICIMOD conducts periodic cryospheric research in the Langtang valley and Yala Glacier. Langtang Himal is a mountain range in the Himalayas which includes the following peaks: 28°15′00″N 85°30′00″E  /  28.250°N 85.500°E  / 28.250; 85.500 Yak Poephagus grunniens The yak ( Bos grunniens ), also known as

532-717: The Langtang Valley is Syaphrubesi , which is also the base for most treks into the Langtang Valley. The distance of Syaphrubesi from Kathmandu is 80 km. But due to bad road conditions, it usually takes 6-8 hours to drive from Kathmandu to Syaphrubesi. Just as for the Langtang National Park, entering the Langtang Valley requires everyone except locals to have the TIMS permit and the Langtang National Park entry permit. The Langtang Valley trek, from Syaphrubesi to Kyanjin Gompa and back,

570-406: The Langtangpas have centered around agropastoralism . Since the mid-1970s, tourism has grown to become an important source of livelihoods in the Langtang Valley. Swiss cheese-making was introduced in Langtang in the 1950s by Werner Schulthess. Over time, Swiss cheese became a popular product of Langtang, and its production in the valley continues to this day. The nearest motorable roadhead for

608-585: The Southeast or Southwest Ridge routes; and 13 unsuccessful attempts on the peak (these may be underestimates). On 9 November 2009, Slovenian mountaineer Tomaž Humar , who was on a solo climb (the expedition started on 5 October) via the South Face, had an accident during his descent. Sources report that he became stuck on the mountain at an approximate height of 6300 meters with a broken leg (other sources also report broken ribs and damaged spine). His only contact with

646-574: The United States, Canada, New Zealand, and some parts of Europe. Yaks have generated interest outside the Himalayas as a commercial crop and by cattle breeders. The main interest of North American yak breeders is lean meat production by hybridizing with other cattle, followed by wool production. The Indian government established a dedicated centre for research into yak husbandry, the ICAR-National Research Centre on Yak, in 1989. It

684-414: The base camp staff via a satellite phone was made on the day of the accident, and he appeared to be in a critical condition. The rescue party found his body on 14 November at the height of 5,600 metres (18,400 ft). Presumably, he died on 9 or 10 November. On 30 October 2024 Czech climber Marek Holeček and his Slovak partner Ondrej Húserka achieved the first successful ascent of Langtang Lirung via

722-523: The belly. While wild yaks are generally dark, blackish to brown in colouration, domestic yaks can be quite variable, often having rusty brown and cream patches. They have small ears and broad foreheads, with smooth horns that are generally dark in colour. In males (bulls), the horns sweep out from the sides of the head and then curve backwards; they typically range from 48 to 99 cm (19 to 39 in) in length. The horns of females (cows) are smaller, at 27 to 64 cm (11 to 25 in) in length, and have

760-606: The cold include a thick layer of subcutaneous fat and an almost complete lack of functional sweat glands . Compared with domestic cattle, the rumen of yaks is unusually large, relative to the omasum . This likely allows them to consume greater quantities of low-quality food at a time, and to ferment it longer to extract more nutrients. Yak consume the equivalent of 1% of their body weight daily while cattle require 3% to maintain condition. They are grazing herbivores, with their wild ancestors feeding primarily on grass and sedges , with some herbs and dwarf shrubs. Yaks mate in

798-621: The domestic yak variant, Bos grunniens (grunting bull). Nikolay Przhevalsky named the wild variant Bos mutus (silent bull), believing that it did not make a sound at all, but it does. Yak physiology is well adapted to high altitudes , having larger lungs and heart than cattle found at lower altitudes, as well as greater capacity for transporting oxygen through their blood, due to the persistence of foetal haemoglobin throughout life. Conversely, yaks have trouble thriving at lower altitudes, and are prone to suffering from heat exhaustion above about 15 °C (59 °F). Further adaptations to

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836-463: The earthquake were evacuated by helicopter to Kathmandu, where a displaced persons camp was temporarily set up at the Yellow Gumba near Swayanmbhu. Many Langtangpas returned to the valley in the following months, and a significant amount of reconstruction was completed within the first year after the earthquake. By early 2018, the centuries-old gompa at Kyanjin Gompa, which had also been destroyed in

874-402: The earthquake, had been rebuilt. The Swiss-cheese factory at Kyanjin Gompa village was destroyed too, but has been rebuilt and since then become operational again. Since the mid-2010s, Langtangpas have noticed that most natural springs in the valley have gone dry. Scientists have attributed the reduction in the glacier area of the Langtang glacier directly to anthropogenic climate change since

912-423: The genus Bos , Yaks are related to cattle ( Bos primigenius ). Mitochondrial DNA analyses to determine the evolutionary history of yaks have been inconclusive. The yak may have diverged from cattle at any point between one and five million years ago, and there is some suggestion that it may be more closely related to bison than to the other members of its designated genus. Apparent close fossil relatives of

950-498: The journey. They will starve unless they can be brought to a place where there is grass." They also are used to draw ploughs . Yaks' milk is often processed to a cheese called chhurpi in Tibetan and Nepali languages, and byaslag in Mongolia. Butter made from yaks' milk is an ingredient of the butter tea that Tibetans consume in large quantities, and is also used in lamps and made into butter sculptures used in religious festivities. Small numbers of herds can be found in

988-584: The pair soon rejoin the herd. Females of both the wild and domestic forms typically give birth only once every other year, although more frequent births are possible if the food supply is good. Calves are weaned at one year and become independent shortly thereafter. Wild calves are initially brown in color and only later develop darker adult hair. Females generally give birth for the first time at three or four years of age, and reach their peak reproductive fitness at around six years. Yaks may live for more than twenty years in domestication or captivity, although it

1026-440: The park is forested. Trees include the deciduous oak and maple , evergreens like pine , and various types of rhododendron . Animal life includes the Himalayan black bear , Himalayan tahr , Assam macaque , snow leopard , yak , red panda and more than 250 species of birds. Among themselves, the local inhabitants of the Langtang valley refer to each other as 'Langtangpa'. They generally follow Tibetan Buddhism , and speak

1064-651: The path of the landslide, 243 people died. It took the villagers two year to rebuild the houses that were destroyed by the landslide in the Langtang Lirung. The route to the mountain was only opened for after 2017, when the villagers build up a completely new path. Langtang Langtang Valley ( Nepali : लाङटाङ उपत्यका ) also known as Lamtang Valley is a Himalayan valley in the mountains of north-central Nepal , known for its trekking routes and natural environment. The Langtang Valley lies in Rasuwa district of

1102-626: The peak via the East Ridge in the 1960s, but none got close to the summit. On October 24,1978 Seishi Wada and Pemba Tsering Sherpa from a Japanese expedition made the first ascent of the mountain via the East Ridge. Poles made the first winter ascent. On 3 January 1988 Mikołaj Czyżewski, Kazimierz Kiszka and Adam Potoczek stood at the summit. According to the Himalayan Index , there have been 14 ascents of Langtang Lirung (in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, and 1995), mostly by

1140-403: The peak's east face. Ondrej died during the descent on October 31 after falling into glacier's crevasse. Marek reached him alive and tried to pull him out before realizing Ondrej's injuries being too serious and losing him hours into attempt to save his life. On 25 April 2015, a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Nepal resulted in a landslide on Langtang Lirung. In Langtang village, directly in

1178-584: The preferred name for the wild species. Although some authors still consider the wild yak to be a subspecies , Bos grunniens mutus , the ICZN made an official ruling in 2003 permitting the use of the name Bos mutus for wild yaks , and this is now the more common usage. There are no recognised subspecies of yak except where the wild yak is considered a subspecies of Bos grunniens . Yaks are heavily built animals with bulky frames, sturdy legs, rounded, cloven hooves, and extremely dense, long fur hanging lower than

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1216-638: The proto-Gyalrongic split (3221 [2169–4319] BP ) from Tibeto-Gyalrongic. The oldest dated physical evidence of yak domestication is from 2,500 years BP. In parts of Tibet and Karakorum, yak racing is a form of entertainment at traditional festivals and an important part of their culture. More recently, sports involving domesticated yaks, such as yak skiing or yak polo , are being marketed as tourist attractions in South Asian countries, including in Gilgit-Baltistan , Pakistan. In Nepal, an annual festival

1254-414: The rut, often while scent-marking with urine or dung. Females enter oestrus up to four times a year, and females are receptive only for a few hours in each cycle. Gestation lasts between 257 and 270 days, so that the young are born between May and June, and results in the birth of a single calf. The cow finds a secluded spot to give birth, but the calf can walk within about ten minutes of birth, and

1292-407: The standards of major Himalayan peaks, Langtang Lirung is notable for its large vertical relief above local terrain. For example, it rises 5,500 metres (18,000 ft) above the Trisuli Gandaki to the west in only 16 kilometres (9.9 mi). It has a large south face which long resisted climbing attempts. The peak was reconnoitered by H. W. Tilman and P. Lloyd in 1949. Attempts were made to climb

1330-579: The summer, typically between July and September, depending on the local environment. For the remainder of the year, many bulls wander in small bachelor groups away from the large herds. Still, as the rut approaches, they become aggressive and regularly fight with each other to establish dominance. In addition to non-violent threat displays, bellowing, and scraping the ground with their horns, bull yaks compete more directly, repeatedly charging at each other with heads lowered or sparring with their horns. Like bison , but unlike cattle, males wallow in dry soil during

1368-402: The withers, while females are 105–117 cm (41–46 in) high at the withers. Both sexes have long, shaggy hair with a dense woolly undercoat over the chest, flanks, and thighs to insulate them from the cold. Especially in bulls, this may form a long "skirt" that can reach the ground. The tail is long and horselike rather than tufted like the tails of cattle or bison. Domesticated yaks have

1406-476: The yak, such as Bos baikalensis , have been found in eastern Russia, suggesting a possible route by which yak-like ancestors of the modern American bison could have entered the Americas. The species was originally designated as Bos grunniens ("grunting ox") by Linnaeus in 1766. Still, this name is now generally considered to refer only to the domesticated form of the animal, with Bos mutus ("mute ox") being

1444-450: Was almost completely destroyed (1 building survived) by a massive avalanche caused by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake . The village suffered an estimated 310 deaths, including 176 Langtang residents, 80 foreigners, and 10 army personnel. More than 100 bodies were never recovered. Several other villages in upper Langtang valley were also destroyed. The Langtangpas who survived the destruction of

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