Musk Ox - Ovibos moschatus

The long, shaggy guard hairs are dark brown in colour, and, at nearly 60 cm in length, may almost reach the ground. Hidden beneath these guard hairs is an insulating layer of light gray underwool. The lower legs are pale, as is a patch in the centre of the back.

The body is massive - and seems even more so due to the long hair and short legs. There is a hump on the shoulders, and the head is carried low with no neck to speak of.

The hook-like horns are found in both sexes, and almost resemble an old-fashioned women's hairstyle. Pale yellow in colour, they form a large boss on the skull, thinning as they sweep down and away from the head, ending with the sharp tips curving upwards. The horns are significantly thicker and form a larger boss in males.

Although bison-like in appearance, the musk ox is actually allied with goats and sheep, and is thought to be most closely related to the Asian takin (Budorcas taxicolor). Photos: made by Taras Sipko.

Its fine underwool is a prized natural fiber, and is made into expensive shawls and sweaters by the native Inuit. Ovis (Latin) a sheep; bos (Latin) an ox: it has features in common with the ox and sheep. Moschatus (New Latin) musky: it has preorbital glands that secrete a musky odour.

Habitat

Muskoxen are large-bodied herbivores in an environment characterized by a short and variable plant growing season (when diet quality is high) and a long winter when the availability of low quality forage is highly variable through the snow cover.

Behaviour

A nomadic species, the musk ox perpetually wanders the Arctic tundra, moving an average of 2 kilometers daily between feeding sites. Periods of grazing are alternated with rest periods, each about 2,5 hours long. Contrary to many species, the musk ox migrates from sheltered, moist lowlands in the summer to higher, barren plateaus in winter. The primary reason for this is food - the exposed plateaus do not accumulate snow due to the high winds, therefore making food easier to find. The distance travelled between summer and winter areas generally does not exceed 80 kilometers.

The characteristic defence pattern of this species is a ring, with the young hidden in the centre and the adults facing outward. While this is extremely effective against wolf attacks, it has made them very easy targets for human hunters with high powered rifles.

Typically, muskoxen live in mixed sex and age herds of 10-20 animals, or small male bachelor herds which have home ranges within which muskoxen move between seasonal ranges.

Food

Although primarily grazers adapted to a diet of sedges and grasses, muskoxen also browse shrubs and forage selectively for forbs.

Reproduction

Conflicts between males occur throughout the year, although the frequency is expectedly higher during the breeding season. Confrontations generally consist of two rivals rushing towards each other at up to 40 kmph, clashing their horns together. This may occur up to 20 times in a row over a course of 50 minutes. Accompanied by these charges are lion-like roars. These fights merely determine dominance, with the loser remaining part of the herd.

They calve well before snow melt so lactation is supported by the cow's fat reserves which the cow has to replenish during the brief summer. Muskoxen have a high threshold of fat reserves before conceiving which reflects their conservative breeding strategies.

Winter ranges typically have shallow snow to reduce the energetic costs of digging through snow to reach forage.

Muskoxen may also be susceptible to internal parasites but their role in muskox foraging ecology and population dynamics is unknown. The implications of the low genetic variability of muskoxen are likewise unknown.

Females give birth between April and June, and do so amongst the herd.

Wolf, rarely Polar Bear.

World population

Musk Ox world population is estimated at 100,000 and is increasing.

Canada

Muskox populations in Canada are estimated around 75,400 individuals.

Alaska

Within Alaska 3,714 animals were estimated.

Greenland

The population size in Greenland during the 1990´s was estimated to number 9,500 to 12,500.

Norway

No information about population size of the (re)introduced populations in Norway is found available yet.

Russia

The Musk ox was introduced at Taymyr in 1974 (30 animals).

The total reintroduced population is estimated at about 8,000 animals as described in the article: Reintroduction of Musk ox in the northern Russia.

Reintroduction of Musk ox in the Northern Russia, Dr. Taras Sipko

• Norway
• Russia

• Hardangervidda
• Taymyr

 

Range map Musk Ox in North America. Blue indicates areas where the muskox has been successfully introduced in the 20th century. Red indicates established range. Source: Wikipedia

Distribution of the Musk ox in the Pleistocene: whole of Europe and Asia North of the mountains, the Alpine group.

Distribution in the Holocene: unsufficient information from history. It is known that on the Taimyr peninsula skull has been found with holes from bullets! (Sipko, by e-mail)

Historically during the 1800's, muskoxen occurred from Point Barrow, Alaska (USA) east across Canada to northeast Greenland, south to northeast Manitoba (Canada), with the current range reduced.

Canada

In the Canadian Arctic, muskoxen inhabit most large islands (except Baffin Island) and the mainland tundra of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut from the coast of Hudson Bay west to almost the Mackenzie River and south to the tree line in the Northwest Territories and western Nunavut.

Greenland

Muskoxen occur naturally over the entire Northeast and North Greenland west to Nyeboe Land. As well, there are several introduced populations, which are now well established in West Greenland and Qaannaaq.

Re-introduction of Musk ox

The species was re-introduced to:

• Alaska.
• 4 locations in West Greenland.
• Norway and Svalbard (Norway), although on Svalbard, they have since died out.
• The species occurred in Russia until around 2,000 years ago, and has been reintroduced to e.g. the Taimyr Peninsula and Wrangel Island: Reintroduction of Musk ox in the northern Russia.

In summary: the shore line of the Polar Ocean was chosen as a site for reintroduction of the muskoxen in Russia. According to the reintroduction plan, a chain of flocks, located within 600-700 km from each other, shall be set. Length of individual migration way of a young mail muskoxen bull amounts to 800 km. Exchange of the animals shall be possible. In prospect, united area of habitat of muskoxen shall form out.

• Initial reintroductions of muskoxen took place in 1974 and 1975 when 10 and 20 animals were delivered from Banks Island (Canada) and Nunivak Island (Alaska, USA) respectively, to the Eastern part of Taimyr Peninsula. Population formed out successfully, spread to the North, East and South (Putorana Plato) of the Peninsula.
• Quantity of muskoxen amounted to 2,500 species in 2002. In 2010 increased up to 6500.
• In 1975 20 muskoxen from Nunivak Island (Alaska, USA) were delivered to the Vrangel Island. Quantity of the population grew slowly there, for the significant amount of the animals did not survive the initial period of acclimatization.
• Quantity of animals in the population on the Island have raised up to 750 species by 2003
• In the present days size of the population have stabilized at the rate of 800-850 species.

Release of Musk oxen in the Northern Russia
(Evenkij, Krasnoyarsk region)

 

 

Reintroduction of Musk ox in the Northern Russia, Dr. Taras Sipko

Historically this species declined because of over-hunting, but population recovery has taken place following enforcement of hunting regulations. Management in the late 1900's was mostly conservative hunting quotas to foster recovery and recolonization from the historic declines.

Currently, there is increasing realization that periodically on some arctic islands, die-offs of up to 40% of the island's muskoxen occur when warmer fall weather leads to icing and deeper snow which restrict forage availability.

On the North American mainland, typically muskoxen have expanded their range recolonizing historic ranges but behind the colonizing edge, abundance declines at least partially due to predation by wolves and grizzly bears. A persistent concern of people is that muskoxen through their presence (smell) and foraging are detrimental to caribou (Rangifer tarandus). The environmental consequences of climate warming is likely to have an impact on this species.

In Greenland, there are no major threats, although the fact that populations are often small in size and scattered, make them vulnerable to local or regional fluctuations in climate. Most populations are within the National Park, where they are protected from hunting. The portion of the population which is south of the National Park sustains a regulated quota harvest. Climate change in Northeast Greenland is expected to bring increased precipitation and milder winters, which might negatively affect the muskox population.

This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is not declining at anything close to the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

Conservation measures Canada

Unregulated commercial harvesting caused the disappearance of muskoxen from large areas of their Canadian continental ranges in the late 1880's and at the same time, ice storms probably reduced muskox numbers on Banks and western Victoria islands.

After protection from hunting in 1917, muskoxen began to recover, and under the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Wildlife Act, are subject to aboriginal hunting limited by area-specific quotas and seasons.

After 1980, the rights to hunt muskox could be transferred to non-aboriginal hunters for guided non-resident hunters and for commercial meat harvesting.

In northern Canada, wildlife management is largely shifting from centralized government agencies to co-management boards and shared responsibility with aboriginal peoples. The wildlife management boards are developing management plans, and continue to regulate muskox hunting on the basis of sustainable yields.

In the late 1990's, the annual quota for the NWT and Nunavut was 12,000 animals which includes 10,000 tags for Banks Island. The domestic harvest is relatively stable and while the commercial harvest for meat and hides (source of qiviut the fine underwool) annually varies, it averages about 1,000-2,000 muskoxen from Banks and Victoria islands.

Management activities are mostly systematic aerial strip-transect surveys to track trends in population size, and as a basis for quota adjustments. No reserves are specifically set aside for muskoxen, but part of the rationale for establishing the Thelon Game Sanctuary was to protect a remnant muskox population from hunting.

The species also occurs in three national parks:

1. Quttinirpaaq (Ellesmere Island )
2. Aulavik (northern Banks Island)
3. Tuktu Nogait (Bluenose Lake, western Arctic mainland)

In national parks, land use activities are controlled, but aboriginal hunting is permitted subject to conservation provisions.

Conservation measures proposed for Canada:

1. Maintain sufficiently frequent population monitoring to track trends in abundance and distribution.
2. Utilize environmental screening of individual developments to protect muskox ranges outside any formally protected areas.
3. Public education is essentially as muskox have recolonized large areas and many people are unfamiliar with muskox ecology and behavior. People are often concerned about effects of muskoxen on caribou especially in areas muskoxen have recolonized.

Conservation measures United States

In the United States, all five extant populations are the result of re-introductions of the muskox within and outside its historic range. The re-introductions began in 1935 with the translocation of animals, originally from northeast Greenland, to Nunivak Island.

From 1967 to the most recent transplants in 1970, the Nunivak island population has been the source for all other Alaskan translocations. Fully protected by law, muskox occurs in five protected areas and hunting is allowed under permit, with limited quotas on three of the five populations. Local subsistence hunting is given preference. Its status within the country is Not Threatened.

Conservation measures Greenland

In Greenland, muskoxen occur in four protected areas, with indigenous populations in the vast Northeast Greenland National Park, and three introduced populations in Arnangarnup Qoorua Nature Reserve, and Kangerlussuag and Maniitsoq Caribou Reserves. Within these protected areas, muskox receives full protection.

Most natural populations are within Northeast Greenland National Park. Outside protected areas, controlled hunting is allowed on Jameson Land in East Greenland, and near Kangerlussuaq in West Greenland. In both, quotas are determined annually and hunting is permitted only by full-time subsistence hunters.

Between 1963 and 1991, muskoxen were translocated to three areas in the southwest previously uninhabited by muskox (near Kangerlussuaq, central West Greenland; Nunavik Peninsula, West Greenland; and Ivittuut, south Greenland), and a fourth population was reintroduced into former muskox range in Avanersuaq (Thule) in north-western North Greenland.

Conservation measures proposed for Greenland:

1. A proposal for development of a long-term management plan for existing muskox populations in West Greenland, is presently being considered by the Home Rule administration. 
2. A new system of game wardens in the West Greenland region, between Disko Bay and Paamiut icecap, is being established to strengthen the enforcement of renewable resource legislation, and to control the performance of hunters in general.

• Introduced Musk Ox in Norway
  The musk ox is the most distinctive animal in the Dovrefjell fauna. Although this ancient animal was imported to the area, it thrives here.

• Reintroduction of Musk ox in the Northern Russia

• Legal aspects of (Re-)introduction of large herbivores

• Large herbivores on the move
• Status report 2007 of the large herbivores of the palaeartic

• Musk ox attack