Yak hack: Kyrgyz want the world to love their blonde bovine beauties

IN Kyrgyzstan’s remote, snowswept highlands at 3,000 metres, the Akmatov family nurtures a thriving herd of 300 rare white yaks — a symbol of revival amid climate challenges. Three generations strong, 88-year-old patriarch Tashtanbek, a Soviet-era agricultural hero with top medals and a village statue, selectively bred these pale-coated animals over 15 years from darker stock. His son Baatyrbek, 52, and grandson Amantur, 30, manage the flock, which calves every other year despite -40°C nights and wolf attacks — Amantur patrols daily, his home lined with pelts. Yak numbers crashed post-Soviet collapse but doubled to over 60,000 with government aid. Bishkek now touts them as climate-resilient: cold-hardy, drought-tolerant, they graze high pastures, easing lowland degradation worsened by overgrazing and warming, per FAO warnings. Their organic milk, meat, and dyeable white wool yield low costs on sparse forage, though the family urges pasture rotation policies. A “Kyrgyz breed” patent is pending for export, blending cultural heritage — yaks are nomadic icons — with sustainability. Scientists probe if milky fur reflects UV rays. As silhouettes dot dusky peaks, the Akmatovs embody adaptation in a vulnerable, landlocked nation. — AFP

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