American yak (SciiFii)

The American yak (Bos lanigeras) is a species of large wild cattle, most closely related to domestic yaks (Bos grunniens) and wild yaks (Bos mutus) of Asia, that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, and mountainous regions across North America to help boost biodiversity. The American yak is a large bovid, with adults standing about 1.6 to 2.05 meters (5.2 to 6.7 feet) tall at the shoulder, and weighing 500–1,200 kilograms (1,100–2,600 lb). The head and body length is 2.4 to 3.8 meters (7.9 to 12 feet), not counting the tail of 60 to 100 centimeters (24 to 39 inches). The females are about one-third the weight and are about 30% smaller in their linear dimensions when compared to bull American yaks. They are heavily built animals with a bulky frame, sturdy legs, and rounded cloven hooves. To protect against the cold, the udder in females and the scrotum in males are small, and covered in a layer of hair. Females have four teats. Both sexes have long shaggy hair, with a dense woolly undercoat over the chest, flanks, and thighs for insulation against the cold. In males especially, this undercoat may form a long "skirt" that can reach the ground. The tail is long and horse-like, rather than tufted like the tails of cattle or bison. The coat is typically black or dark brown, covering most of the body, with a grey muzzle (although wild golden-brown individuals have been commonly reported). American yaks with gold coloured hair are known as the Rocky Mountain golden yak. The diet of American yaks consists largely of grasses and sedges. They also eat a smaller amount of herbs, winterfat shrubs, and mosses, and have even been reported to eat lichen. The main natural predator of the American yak has been the gray wolf, but brown bears and snow jaguars have also been reported as predators in some areas, since the young or infirm American yaks. American yaks are herd animals. Herds can contain several hundred individuals, although many are much smaller. Herds consist primarily of females and their young, with a smaller number of adult males. On average female yaks graze 100 meters higher than males. Females with young tend to choose grazing ground on high, steep slopes. The remaining males are either solitary, or found in much smaller groups, averaging around six individuals. Groups move into lower altitude ranges during the winter. Although American yaks can become aggressive when defending young, or during the rut, they generally avoid humans, and may flee for great distances if approached. American yaks mate in summer and give birth to a single calf the following spring. Females typically only give birth every other year. The conservation status of the American yak is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the American yak's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.