Musk Ox
Table of Contents
Introduction
"Musk ox have been around since the last ice age, and are perfectly adapted to the challenges of the cold Arctic landscapes. One of the most important of these adaptations is their double-layered coat. The bottom layer provides thick insulation, while the top is wiry and helps shed snow and other sources of moisture. Together, these layers keep the animals warm and dry even in the harshest of winters. With their long shaggy coats and helmeted heads, musk ox fit in with the wooly mammoths and saber toothed cats. But, they are also closely related to modern day goats and sheep. Like these relatives, musk ox eat a range of grasses, woody plants, willows, mosses, and lichens. This broad diet helps them survive long winters with limited food resources." - Protect the Arctic
"The muskox is the last of the large ice age animals. They lived with mammoths and woolly rhinoceros during the recent ice age, in Sweden and other places. Mammoths and woolly rhinoceros have long been extinct, while muskoxen live in the barren and cold tundra areas in the far north." - Vildriket: Muskox
Predators
Grey Wolves
Threats to Muskox
Climate Change
Though musk ox have bounced back from almost being hunted to extinction, now "the musk ox is facing new challenges. As Arctic temperatures rise, changing weather patterns are threatening their food sources and making life in this harsh ecosystem even more difficult. But you can help protect the future of this unique Arctic species" - Protect the Arctic
Oil & Gas Production
During the Trump administration oil and gas leases were illegally sold in protected Alaskan areas. Now the Biden administration is working to undo this damage and create new protections for arctic spaces.
Hunting
"Due to their thick fur and rich fatty meat, musk ox were hunted to near extinction in Northern Canada and Alaska in the 1900's. International conservation efforts successfully brought the species back from the edge of extinction, including programs to reintroduce them to Alaska." - Protect the Arctic
Deforestation
Solutions
Support Green Energy
Switch to Green Energy & Encourage Others to
Push Back Against Fossil Fuels
Write to or petition your local leaders to let them know why you want us to transition to cleaner energy.
Support Conservation & Reintroductions
You can support conservation and reintroductions by supporting wildlife organizations with donations, volunteer hours, or even visiting them. Scroll down to find some of the groups currently helping musk ox.
Adopt a Muskox
Organizations
Europe
Russia
Sweden
Vildriket "In order to strengthen the genetic base of the muskox strain, transplantation of individuals from zoos to the wild has taken place. Vildriket has been involved in such transplantation.
A young bull out on a wandering ended up once down in Färila in Hälsingland, where it was anesthetized and moved back to western Härjedalen."
North America
Canada
USA
Alaska
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) "Most of the animals that have come to AWCC have either been orphaned or injured. With consent from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, animals taken in by AWCC are cared for by our animal care staff and are given a permanent home at AWCC."
Maps
International
Current Global Distribution of Muskoxen "The exact distribution of muskoxen around 60˚N60˚N in Canada is uncertain, since knowledge is limited to incidental observations, and densities in this area are very low. Ice fields on Greenland, Ellesmere and other islands are not shown due to scale of map."
Europe
North America
Canada
USA
Alaska
Muskox Range includes range and release points for introduced populations.