Common Name:
Muskox
Scientific Name:
Ovibos moschatus
Unique Qualities:
The Inuit word for the muskox means “the animal with skin like a beard”. Muskox have two kinds of fur which are 5 to 10 cm thick. The outer fur is coarse and stiff, and the under fur is soft and able to keep the muskox very warm. Muskox have very good sight which is beneficial during the months of darkness in the winter. Its acute sense of smell enables the muskox to find food beneath the snow. When the muskox sense danger, the herd forms a circle facing outward with the calves inside to keep them safe. The arctic wolf is the only wild predator of muskoxen.
Can be Seen:
Muskox can be seen in Northern Canada, Alaska, Ellesmere Island and Greenland.
Likes to Hang Out:
The muskox likes to hang out in the low-lying coastal and inland plains or river valleys of the Arctic, where shrubs are most abundant. It likes to hang out near rivers where their favourite food grows.
Likes to Eat:
The muskox likes to eat different kinds of plants, including grasses, sedges, and woody plants. One of its favorite foods is arctic willow. It also likes to eat moss, lichen, and leaves. In the winter, the muskox digs through the snow for food.
Status:
The arrival of Europeans and guns pushed the muskox to the brink of extinction. However, in 1917 the Canadian government put the muskox under protection, and the populations have recovered slowly. Today there are about 20,000 muskox in naturally occurring populations - this number does not include the "introduced" populations of muskoxen in Greenland and Northern Canada.
