The muskox
Ovibos moschatus
The muskox is the last of the great Ice Age animals. It once lived alongside mammoths and woolly rhinoceroses during the most recent Ice Age, both in Sweden and in other parts of the northern hemisphere. While the mammoth and woolly rhinoceros have long been extinct, the muskox still survives today in the barren, cold tundra of the far north.
About
In Sweden, only a small number of muskoxen remain.
A muskox resembles a sturdy, long-haired cow with a brown coat, often marked with lighter patches. Both males and females have long, curved horns, though the males’ horns are larger and heavier.
They feed on lichens, grasses, and shrubs. Muskoxen live in herds, but adult males often roam alone. During the mating season, which takes place from August to October, males use their horns to compete for females. Calves are born the following spring.
Facts
Scientific name: Ovibos moschatus
Conservation status: Not Evaluated (NE)
Size: Shoulder height 130–165 cm; body length 200–250 cm
Weight: Males up to 450 kg (in Sweden); females up to 200 kg (in Sweden)
Number of young: 1–3
Did you know that:
To strengthen the genetic base of the muskox population, translocations from zoos to the wild have been carried out, and Vildriket has taken part in this work.
A young bull once wandered as far south as Färila in Hälsingland, where it was anesthetized and relocated back to western Härjedalen.
Despite its name, the muskox does not actually smell of musk. The name is misleading, though the species does have scent glands located below the eyes. These glands swell during the rutting season and release a distinctive secretion.
An adult muskox can shed up to 2.5 kilograms of underwool each year. Just half a kilogram of this soft fiber, when spun, can produce a thread nearly 40 kilometers long.
Muskoxen are generally calm animals, but if they feel threatened or provoked, they can become dangerous. It is recommended to keep a distance of at least 200 meters from them.
Conseravation status
