Muskoxen of North America

This Muskox lives on an Island in Russia. Read about conservation initiatives
for Muskox in North America (WCS)

       Musk-oxen formerly lived throughout the whole polar region and in northern Europe and Asia, and also on the barren-grounds‚ of North America from the northeast side of Hudson Bay northward over the Arctic islands to Greenland. They do not migrate even in the winter, but spend the season of darkness on the wind swept areas covered with frozen grass and snow.

       The musk-ox is more like the American buffalo than any other animal, although it is much shorter than the buffalo. The earliest published account of the musk-ox was by a Frenchman, Jeremie, in 1720. He reported, ''They have very short legs, so that the wool hangs always to the ground when they walk; this makes them seem so deformed that one can hardly tell at a distance, at which end they have the head.''

       The hair is long, but it does not often touch the ground. It is long enough for the baby musk-ox to hide itself by standing under its mother. Besides the long outer hair, there is an undercoat of thick wool which protects the animal in cold weather.

       Strangely enough, the muskox has no visible tail. Animals, living in places where flies and mosquitoes are bad, usually have tails to keep away such insects. The musk-ox, however, has musk glands and the odors from these keep the pests away. The name musk-ox comes from this musky odor. Native Alaskans call the animals, Oomingmak or Oomingmung, and Ellesmere Island, Oomingman, which means, ''Land of the Musk-oxen.''

       Muskoxen have been used by indigenous people for many years. The meat is considered delicious and tastes something like beef; the milk is abundant and rich; the wool is prized highly because it never shrinks; the skin serves many purposes, and the horns can be carved into ladles and spoons.

       Many years ago when musk-oxen were still plentiful, the natives depended on them more than they do now. They were easier to get than the reindeer. Dogs frightened the animals until they huddled together. Thus standing with lowered heads, they presented a formidable circle of horns to the dogs who dared not go close, but the tribal people could get near enough to throw their darts and harpoons.

       After a time the animals began to drift farther north and the hunters followed the muskox road‚ ever onward toward the north and east. Some did not move on as far as the muskoxen, so they soon learned, through necessity, to use for food such animals as seal, walrus, polar bear and reindeer. Gradually all used these animals for food and clothing in place of the fast dwindling muskoxen. Today, it is unusual for a native Alaskan to capture a musk-ox.

       The mother muskox has one baby a year, which is usually born in May. It looks much like a fuzzy lump of black moss. Some people say she hides her baby in the snow and moss for two or three days until it can travel around with her. She is a devoted mother and always stays close to her one youngster. Even the old bulls are ready to help protect the young ones. At the sight, smell or sound of danger the whole herd, varying in number from ten to one hundred, bunches together, the little ones seeking their mothers. The old bulls stalk around the group with lowered heads. They may rub their horns and heads between their fore legs to brush away the frost about the eyes condensed there from the breath. The bulls, bellowing with rage, charge one at a time. Each bull retreats at once to his herd for fear of being cut off from it. Sometimes the animals run, and in spite of their short legs and long hair they are quick in getting away, even up steep hills.

       The white wolf is the chief enemy of the muskox. When alone and attacked by a wolf, the musk-ox repeatedly jumps into the air and then down with full force on the back of the wolf. That is the instinctive method of crushing the white wolf.

       There are several prophecies among the historic tribes of Alaska about musk-oxen. They believe that if a living musk-ox is taken from the country all the other musk-oxen will follow and be gone forever. Thus, for many years it was very difficult to secure any of these animals even for zoos because the natives would find some way of preventing their leaving the country.

       To protect those that remain, the Canadian government has set apart certain areas as musk-oxen preserves. There, they may live in peace safe from hunters. Wood.

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