Dzo

Dzo

Dzo is the Tibetan name for hybrid creatures that are the cross between Yaks and domesticated Cattle. The name technically refers to only the male crosses (females are reffered to as Dzomo), but for the sake of ease we'll use Dzo today for a general term.

Dzo are used as pack animals in Tibet and other mountainous regions because they can survive at high elevations as well as Yaks do, but have more strength and size due to the Cattle ancestry. In general, these hybrids have the faces of Cattle, but the shaggy coats of Yaks.

As with many hybrids, a downside to the Dzo is that the males are sterile. Females are not always sterile though, which means that the animals can be bred back to other Cattle and Yaks, creating 3/4 crosses. It is speculated that many supposed purebred Yaks and Cattle actually have genes from the other species, due to this ability to back-cross.

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Status : Hybrid
Location : Asia
Size : Weight around 1,300lbs (580kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Mammalia -- Order : Artiodactyla
Family : Bovidae -- Genus : Bos -- Species : B. grunniens × B. primigenius