Climate Change and vulnerable Yaks in Nepal Himalayas- Humla Study

Climate Change and vulnerable Yaks in Nepal Himalayas- Humla Study

It was very nice to attain presentation by Ms. Renu Shakya and Mr. Sidhi Bahadur Bajracharya at ECCA hall about the impacts of CC to the Yak population and to the livelihood of the Himalayan people. According to their study, one of the main reason behind declination of number of Yak is Tibau; an unidentified disease that kills Yak very sudden. The symptoms of this disease are-

1.          Yak stops eating grasses
2.       Rise in body temperature of the Yak
3.         Increase in rate of the Heart beat 

Finally, the Yak gets killed by the disease.

According them, local people believe that the disease used to attack the Yaks in lower altitude in past but now spread in their place also and the disease cannot attack the Hybrid Yak.  Researchers think that, the reason behind the spreading of Tibau at that altitude may be temperature rise in the Himalayan region. 

They integrated the data obtained from questionnaire survey, FGD with climate data and census data and used different accepted tests to draw the conclusion. They have been collecting the tissue samples of the dead yak by Tibau which may give further information about spreading of the disease and the relation of the disease with the climate and temperature.

The Bhotae people in that region who used to rely on Yak for their livelihood but now started to cut down the tree and export log to Tibet.  This is causing immense pressure on ecosystem.

There is no army check post in the border with china. There is regular flight of Nepal Airlines (NA) and Nepal Army post in the Simikot. The study region lies at three days walking distance from simikot and there is rare helicopter flight to the region.

 It’s very nice initiative and really appreciable job done by them. I will be pleased to read their full report soon. It needs further intensive research in the region by using the more scientific tools/method.