Domestic cows can’t survive high in the Himalayas because of the mountainous terrain, and even hill cattle live at lower altitudes because their thin fur forces them to stay in warmer areas. In contrast, yaks, or Himalayan cattle, have smaller bodies with thick fur. These animals tend to thrive in cooler temperatures high in the mountains. Most of the time, yaks stay above 3,000 meters in altitude year round. Crossing a yak and hill cow, though, yields an animal generally called a chauri gai (gai means cow in Nepali). However, males specifically bear the name jhopkya instead. Continue reading to learn more about them!
These large animals stand fairly tall and stout, with a body type similar to that of a cow. Long, upward-curved horns and long, thick tails garnish their bodies. The tails start off solid and then transition into actual hair about halfway down. The ones I saw wore thick, yak-like blueish white or black fur. While doing some research, though, I saw pictures of brown ones, too. From what I understand, many different breeds of hill cattle exist that might give a variety of crossbreeds.
