Yak pastoralism in transition: Changes and challenges in yak-rearing practices in Lhonak Valley, Sikkim

Yak rearing is an age-old tradition and mode of sustenance, especially for the Dokpas, a highlander community in the higher reaches of North Sikkim’s Lhonak Valley. This landscape, however, is changing due to various social, economic and ecological factors. Yak herders have come under pressure and are now struggling to sustain their way of life. This paper highlights the symbiotic relationship between the herders and the yaks through historical pathways of pastoralism in Lhonak Valley. It also explores how this pastoral landscape, sculpted by traditional historical paths traced by the Dokpas and yaks, became seriously affected by geopolitical and economic interference. These changes have impacted the relationship between the Dokpa community and the yaks, pushing their way of life towards extinction.