Muskox (Ovibos moschatus)

Description

Muskox fact file

• Description
• Biology
• Range
• Habitat
• Status
• Threats
• Conservation
• Find out more
• Glossary
• References
• Print factsheet

Muskox description

A massive, stocky bovid, superficially resembling the American bison in appearance, the muskox has a large body, short, stout legs, a short tail, and a short neck, with a slight hump at the shoulders. The coat is dark brown to black, paler on the legs, face and back, and consists of a dense, soft inner coat, protected by dark, coarse, outer guard hairs, which can measure over 60 centimetres in length, and may reach nearly to the ground. Both the male and female muskox bear broad horns, which curve down and outward, and meet in the middle of the skull to form a large ‘boss’. The male is larger than the female, capable of reaching an impressive 650 kilograms in captivity, and has more massive horns ^{(2) (3) (4) (5) (6)}.

The muskox may vary in size between northern and southern locations ^{(3) (6)}, and a number of subspecies have been proposed ⁽⁶⁾. The common name of this species is said to come from a characteristic musky odour produced by the male during the mating season (rut) ^{(2) (5)}, although others refute this ⁽⁷⁾.

Also known as

Musk ox.

Size

Head-body length: 190 - 230 cm ⁽²⁾

Tail length: 9 - 10 cm ⁽²⁾

Shoulder height: 120 - 151 cm ⁽²⁾

Weight

200 - 410 kg ⁽²⁾

Muskox biology

The muskox is well adapted to the cold, and is one of the few large mammals capable of living year-round in the severe Arctic environment. The thick coat provides excellent insulation, and the short, stocky legs and large, rounded hooves help the muskox to move through snow ⁽⁴⁾, although it is not that well adapted to digging through heavy snow for food and so is generally restricted to areas with shallower snow ^{(1) (3) (7)}. The diet consists mainly of grasses and sedges, as well as browse such as willow and crowberry, and some forbs. Predators include wolves and bears, and the muskox has a characteristic defence behaviour, in which the herd bunch together, often forming an impenetrable line or circle, with the calves inside and the adults’ sharp horns facing outwards ^{(2) (4) (5) (6) (7)}.

Muskox range

Historically, the muskox occurred from Alaska, across northern Canada to Greenland, although the current range is somewhat reduced, and the species was exterminated in some areas during the last century ^{(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)}. However, the muskox has now been reintroduced to Alaska and parts of Greenland, and populations have also been introduced to Russia, where it occurred until around 2,000 years ago, and to Norway and Svalbard, although on Svalbard it has since died out ^{(1) (2) (4) (8)}.

Muskox habitat

The muskox is a characteristic species of the Arctic tundra. In summer, it tends to use sheltered, moist lowlands, such as river valleys and lakeshores, and in winter moves to higher slopes and plateaus, where high winds prevent the accumulation of deep snow, so making foraging easier ^{(2) (3) (5)}.

Muskox status

Classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List ⁽¹⁾.

Muskox threats

The muskox has long been exploited for its meat, hide, horns and fur, and the extremely soft underfur, known as ‘qiviut’, is prized as one of the lightest and warmest wools in the world ^{(1) (2) (4) (5) (6)}. However, the increasing presence of humans in the Arctic during the 19^th and 20^th Centuries led to overhunting, particularly as the species’ defence behaviour of clumping together makes it vulnerable to humans with firearms, and the muskox was consequently exterminated from parts of its range ^{(1) (2) (4) (8)}. Fortunately, hunting regulations, natural recolonisation, and reintroduction of the species into its former range have resulted in a population recovery, and the muskox is not currently considered globally threatened ^{(1) (4) (5)}. However, it is likely to come under increased threat in the future due to the combined impacts of global warming and increased human activity on its Arctic habitat ^{(1) (7)}.

Muskox conservation

The muskox occurs in a number of protected areas across its range, and hunting is now regulated by quotas and permits, with preference usually given to local subsistence hunters. Reintroductions, undertaken in response to concerns over the species’ status, have generally been successful, and the return of the muskox to Alaska in the 1930s is considered an important conservation success story ^{(1) (4) (7) (9)}. Further conservation measures proposed for the species include population monitoring, public education, and the development of long-term management plans ⁽¹⁾. Suitable muskox habitat is believed to still be widespread, and it is hoped that, with proper management and public support, this hardy and iconic relic of the ice age will continue to make a comeback ⁽⁷⁾.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Find out more

To find out more about the muskox and its conservation see:

• Ultimate Ungulate:
  http://www.ultimateungulate.com/
• Lent, P.C. (1988) Ovibos moschatus. Mammalian Species, 302: 1-9. Available at:
  http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-302-01-0001.pdf
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game:
  http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/
• BBC Wildlife Finder:
  http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/species/Muskox

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Glossary

Forb

A herb with broad leaves that grows alongside grasses in a field, prairie or meadow.

Gestation

The state of being pregnant; the period from conception to birth.

Guard hair

In some mammals, long, coarse hairs that protect the softer layer of fur below.

Precocial

In biology, refers to young that are relatively mature, mobile and independent from the moment of birth or hatching.

Subspecies

A population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species, but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species.

Tundra

Treeless, grassy plains characteristic of arctic and sub-arctic regions. They are very cold and have little rainfall.

References

1. IUCN Red List (November, 2009)
   http://www.iucnredlist.org
2. Nowak, R.M. (1991) Walker's Mammals of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London.
3. Macdonald, D.W. (2006) The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Muskox, (Ovibos moschatus) (November, 2009)
   http://www.fws.gov/species/species_accounts/bio_musk.html
5. Ultimate Ungulate (November, 2009)
   http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Ovibos_moschatus.html
6. Lent, P.C. (1988) Ovibos moschatus. Mammalian Species, 302: 1-9. Available at:
   http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-302-01-0001.pdf
7. Alaska Department of Fish and Game: Muskox (November, 2009)
   http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/pubs/notebook/biggame/muskoxen.php
8. Feldhamer, G.A., Thompson, B.C. and Chapman, J.A. (2003) Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, and Conservation. Second Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
9. Shackleton, D.M. (1997) Wild Sheep and Goats and their Relatives: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan for Caprinae. IUCN/SSC Caprinae Specialist Group, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.