China's Wild West has something to yak about

While talking about "niu", images of domesticated bulls, cows, buffaloes or even yaks might cross our mind. But few of us will think about "ye niu", or wild cattle, as they all live in remote areas, scarce even in their own habitats and endangered around the country.

So how many different species of wild cattle are there in China and how are they doing?

There are three species of wild animals with "niu" in their Chinese names: ye niu (gaur), ye maoniu (wild yak) and ling niu (takin). Of them, only gaur and wild yak, are truly wild cattle. The takin, a large, sturdy animal that looks rather like a musk ox, is actually an antelope.