Himalayan Yaks:
The National Research Centre on Yak (NRCY) at Dirang in West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, has tied up with the National Insurance Company Ltd. for insuring their livestock.
- The insurance policy would shield the yak owners against the risks posed by weather calamities, diseases, in-transit mishaps, surgical operations and strikes or riots.
- According to the policy, the owners would have to get their yaks ear-tagged and provide a proper description in order to get their animals insured.
About Himalayan Yaks:
- Yak is accustomed to very cold temperatures and can up to minus 40 degrees.
- Two other prominent nomadic communities engaged in yak rearing are Changpas and Dokpas in Ladakh, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
- Currently considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN.
- The number of yaks across the country declined by almost 24.7% between 2012 and 2019.
- Yak population in India is found in Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Uttarakhand.
- IUCN Red list status: Vulnerable
- Listed under Appendix I of CITES
- Indian WildLife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule II
