Hundreds of yaks starved to death during an unusually severe winter last year in the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim.

Now, herders and officials are concerned about the fate of the remaining population.

Only 76,000 yaks are left in India and efforts are being made to stop their numbers from shrinking further.

Officials say more yak deaths could be catastrophic as the animal is intrinsic to the culture and economy of India’s Himalayan states.

Video by Vikas Pandey and Anshul Verma