A yak's coat is extraordinary: a dense inner layer of very fine wool, and a shaggy outer layer of long coarse hair that hangs almost to the ground. This double layer keeps the yak warm at temperatures below minus 40 degrees Celsius — colder than the coldest freezer you will ever touch. In summer, people comb out the soft inner wool to spin into clothing.
Pamiri families rely on yaks for milk, butter, cheese and yogurt — all from the same animal. The yak's milk is much richer and creamier than cow's milk. Yak butter is used to make a warming salty butter tea that Pamiri people drink to stay warm and energised during cold mountain work.
Yaks are also excellent pack animals, carrying heavy loads across steep mountain passes where wheeled vehicles cannot go. Their wide hooves grip rocky paths and prevent slipping. In some remote villages, yaks are still the main way of moving goods and supplies across the mountains — acting as the local delivery service.