These animals have inhabited the Arctic for many thousands of years, and their long shaggy hair is well adapted to the frigid climate. The outer hairs, called guard hairs, cover a second, shorter undercoat that provides additional insulation in winter. This undercoat falls out when temperatures climb at winter's end. Female musk oxen carry their calves during an eight-month pregnancy, but after birth there is little time to waste.
The infants are able to keep up with their mothers and the rest of the herd within a few hours. Musk oxen are herd animals, and groups of two or three dozen animals are sometimes led by a single female. Herds use cooperation to deal with predation by wolves or dogs. A cornered musk ox can be a fearsome enemy, charging with its massive bulk and attempting to use its horns to deadly effect.
Such defenses are not terribly effective against human hunters, who killed great numbers of musk oxen for their hides and meat. Today, legislation protects herds in Alaska, Norway, and Siberia, where the animals live on preserves. All rights reserved. Common Name: Musk Ox. Scientific Name: Ovibos moschatus. Type: Mammals. Diet: Herbivore. Group Name: Herd.
Size: Height at shoulder: 4 to 5 feet. Weight: to pounds. Check out … Continued. Contact Tickets Membership Donate. Global Search. Did you know? Ovibos moschatus wardi. Discover Muskoxen. Muskoxen have lived in the frozen Arctic for many thousands of years, living on prairies and tundra in Greenland, northern Canada and Alaska. Find them in our Arctic Tundra. Meet the Keepers. Our muskoxen are taken care of by our elephant keepers! They give chats near the elephant barn daily.
Bring your questions! Due to this oily fur, polar bears do not have to worry about succumbing to hypothermia during normal weather conditions in the Arctic. Preventing this essential natural resource from dissipating keeps these animals warm, and it also enables them to live comfortably in such a frigid climate.
The polar bear may be the king of the artic landmass, but musk oxen are not afraid to make their presence known. These massive creatures are one of the few animals living in the Arctic tundra that are not colored white or light brown in order to blend into their environment.
Instead, musk oxen have dark fur that stands out against the snow. Their coat is extremely thick and long, and it is made up of many hallow hairs. In this instance, it is the hallow hair combined with the large quantity of fur that serves as an insulator.
In fact, their fur is so good at retaining heat that even the area of the ground directly underneath the musk ox is kept warmer as a result. Huddling together is another method that musk oxen have developed during the coldest parts of the year. This also serves another important function because their combined body mass deters predators such as wolves. Every creature that you see while on an Arctic expedition is uniquely suited to their environment, but some of them do migrate to warmer areas during certain parts of the year.
There are also some variations on common animals living in the Arctic tundra that may surprise you. The Arctic Hares utilize the musk ox approach of huddling together for warmth, but Artic Ground Squirrels actually build an insulation system for the ground of their den from discarded Musk Ox hair. Many of these smaller creatures may not be noticeable during an Arctic expedition, but it is still fascinating to have a better understanding of which animals live in the Arctic tundra and how their bodies have evolved to make them fit into their environment.
RVR At the end of a long Arctic winter, spring is starting to awaken. JNSH The focus of this voyage is shore hiking.
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