IoT Collar Tracks Yak Health in Himalayas: New Tech to Aid Farmers and Border Monitoring

A team of scientists has developed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based smart system to monitor the health of high-altitude yaks and track their movement near the international border in the Himalayas. The device, attached to a collar, aims to assist farmers and authorities in managing these vital animals in challenging terrain.

The Indian yak (Bos grunniens), often called the ‘ship of the Himalayas’, is a cornerstone of the economy for mountain communities, providing meat, milk, and transportation. Found at altitudes above 8,000 feet, this bovine is known for its resilience. According to the 20th Livestock Census, India has about 58,000 yaks, nearly half in Ladakh, with the rest in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Monitoring yak health across the rugged Himalayan expanse has been difficult. Yak specialists and brokpas (yak farmers) face challenges due to livestock movement in remote areas near international borders. The new technology seeks to reduce these hurdles, according to Mihir Sarkar, director of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s National Research Centre on Yak (NRC-Y) at Dirang, Arunachal Pradesh.

Sarkar is one of four NRC-Y scientists—along with Mokhtar Hussain, Vijay Paul, and Dinamani Medhi—who developed the device, together with Rupesh Mandal, Nupur Choudhury, Gitu Das, and Jyoti Kumar Barman from Assam Don Bosco University in Guwahati.

The scientists said this IoT-based system for geo-fencing and monitoring yak health predicts stress and addresses challenges of herd management in remote, high-altitude regions where continuous physical monitoring is often impractical. IoT refers to a network of objects embedded with sensors and software to collect and exchange data automatically. Geo-fencing uses GPS, Wi-Fi, or cellular data to create virtual boundaries around physical locations.

“Yaks are a vital livelihood resource for communities in the high-altitude Himalayan region. However, farmers often struggle with tracking animal movement, early detection of health issues, and managing herds across vast grazing landscapes, including areas difficult to access,” Sarkar said. “The technology can provide timely information on animal health, stress levels, and movement patterns, enabling better decision-making and timely veterinary intervention when needed.”