A large modern representative of the "mammoth" fauna.

Systematics

Russian name- musk ox, musk ox

English name - Muskox, Musk ox

Latin name - Ovibos moschatus

Order - artiodactyls (Artiodactyla)

Family - bovids (Bovidae)

The closest modern relatives of musk oxen are takins living in mountain forests China, Bhutan.

musk ox- the traditional European name for musk oxen - has nothing to do with musk and musk glands, but is associated with the name of marshy areas in the Cree Indian language - "musked" (swampy). The Russian name "musk ox" is a literal translation of the Latin name "Ovibos" (literally, "ram-ox"), which is associated with a controversial systematic position musk oxen: they were considered either relatives of bulls or goats.

Conservation status of the species

By the beginning of the 20th century, the number of musk oxen had declined catastrophically, they remained only in the north of America and in Greenland. At present, thanks to the ban on hunting, the creation of reserves and artificial resettlement, the number of animals is increasing. So far, the species is included in the International Red Book, but is classified as the least vulnerable. Probably, in the future they will allow hunting for it.

The origin and "journey" of this species around the world is interesting. The distant ancestors of modern musk oxen lived in the highlands of Central Asia more than 10 million years ago. About 3.5 million years ago, when the climate became noticeably colder, the ancestors of the musk ox descended from the Himalayas and spread throughout Siberia and the rest northern Eurasia. They lived in vast areas of the Arctic along with woolly rhinos and mammoths. During the glaciation (150-250 thousand years ago), musk oxen along the Bering Isthmus, which at that time connected Chukotka and Alaska, penetrated into North America, settled widely there, and from there went to Greenland. In those days, they lived throughout the northern hemisphere.

However, already 65 thousand years ago, the musk ox population began to decline. A particularly rapid reduction in the number and range occurred 11-12 thousand years ago. Musk oxen were not ready for warming and remained only in the north of Siberia and North America. Musk oxen died out in Siberia 3-4 thousand years ago.

View and person

Previously, it was believed that humans were the culprits for the reduction in the area and the decrease in the number of musk oxen, but this process began much earlier than humans began to have a noticeable effect on animals. Nevertheless, people have always hunted musk oxen, used meat for food, made clothes and dwellings from skins, and tools from horns and bones. For the Canadian Eskimos, the musk ox has always been an important object of fishing, which gave them "both table and shelter." They were even afraid that the animals would go south if at least one animal was taken there, and therefore, when in 1898 B. Jones tamed 5 musk oxen in Canada and wanted to take them south, the natives sharply prevented this.

For the first time for Europeans, musk oxen were discovered by an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, Englishman Henry Kelsey in 1689. The indigenous peoples of the North lived quite harmoniously next to the musk ox, but with the advent of firearms this animal has become especially vulnerable. The fact is that in case of danger, a herd of musk oxen does not run away, but takes up “all-round defense”, and the extraction of the beast has ceased to be a dangerous and difficult task. The number of animals began to decline rapidly, and in 1917 this species was taken under protection by the Canadian government, and since 1950 the musk ox has been protected in Greenland. It no longer existed on the territory of Eurasia in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, on the Taimyr Peninsula, the famous Russian paleontologist N.K. Vereshchagin found a musk ox skull with a broken bone, which suggested that the last musk oxen in northern Asia disappeared already in historical time.

Distribution and habitats

Currently, native populations of musk oxen live in North America north of 60°N. and in Greenland. In 1930, this animal was brought to Alaska, where it lived earlier, in 1936 - to Nunivak Island, in 1969 - to Nelson Island in the Bering Sea. In all these places, and then on other islands, he successfully took root.

About the resettlement of musk oxen in Arctic zone In the USSR, zoologists began talking back in 1920, but only in the mid-1970s did an experiment begin to return these animals to the regions North Asia. Musk oxen were captured on Banks and Nunivak Islands and released on Wrangel Island and the Taimyr Peninsula. They took root perfectly, at present about 8 thousand of these animals live in the Taimyr tundra, and on about. Wrangel - about 800 individuals. The resettlement of musk oxen on the territory of our country continues: 4 populations have been created in Yakutia, these animals already exist in Yamal, the Polar Urals and in the Magadan region.

The musk ox is an inhabitant of the hilly arctic tundra and polar deserts. In winter, it often grazes on the slopes of the mountains, where the wind blows away the snow, and it is easier to get to the food. In summer, this beast moves to the valleys of rivers and lakes.

Appearance and morphology

The musk ox is a large, massive animal, overgrown with thick and long hair. Males reach a body weight of up to 350 kg and a height at the withers of up to 150 cm, they are much larger than females. The mass of females is approximately 60% of the mass of the male, and the height at the withers reaches 120 cm. Like all polar animals, these animals do not have protruding body parts, which is associated with the problem of maintaining heat in a cold climate. Therefore, small ears and tail are buried in thick fur.

Musk oxen have the longest hair of all mammals. It covers the animal completely, except for the horns, hooves, nose and lips. Long and coarse outer hair grows up to 60 cm, and in some cases, on the neck, up to 90, going down almost to the hooves. The thick and soft undercoat is thinner than cashmere and 8 times warmer than sheep's wool. By summer, the undercoat falls out, and with the onset of winter it grows back. With such wool, no frost is terrible!

The legs of muskoxen are small and strong, the hooves are large, rounded, with sharp edges, specially adapted for movement on snow and rocks. The front hooves are larger than the hind ones, with which the animals break through the dense, packed snow in winter in order to get to the food.

A large massive head is armed with sharp rounded horns that do not shed and grow up to the age of six. The horns of females are thinner than those of males, but, nevertheless, they are a reliable weapon for protection against predators. The horns of males form a real shield on the forehead, because during the rut one has to endure more than one battle for the right to leave offspring.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Musk oxen are herbivores. Of all the ungulates, only they, and even the reindeer, have adapted to life in the harsh Arctic. In summer, musk oxen stay along river valleys, in lowlands, where sedges, dwarf birches, willows and grasses grow in abundance. These animals eat mushrooms, berries, and lichens. The stomach of an adult animal can hold up to 40 kg of food. During the short northern summer, musk oxen feed very actively and have time to work up a thick layer of fat, so that in autumn fat can be up to 30% of body weight.

As the ground becomes covered with snow, musk oxen move to high, well-ventilated areas where there is little snow cover. These animals feel much more comfortable in dense but not deep snow than in areas with loose high snow cover. With their sharp hooves, they dig up the packed snow and get food from under it.

Musk oxen are ruminants; they pluck plants, pressing them with sharp lower incisors against the keratinized plate on the upper jaw. Having filled the stomach, musk oxen lie down, rest and digest food. In summer, periods of grazing alternate with periods of rest approximately 6–9 times a day.

Lifestyle and social organization

In the Arctic zone, where musk oxen live, the winter polar night is replaced by the summer polar day. In ungulates of high latitudes, regardless of illumination, periods of rest alternate with periods of activity.

Musk oxen almost always live in groups. The desire to stick together is more characteristic of females and young animals. An adult male joins a group of females, or wins it back from a rival, and such a group is usually called a harem. In a large group, sometimes, along with the main male, there are 2–3 more adult males that occupy a subordinate position. Juvenile males stay in bachelor herds and move much more widely, sometimes separating from their herd, sometimes rejoining it. Adult sexually mature, as well as aging males, can live alone, or they can temporarily join bachelor groups.

In summer, the composition of the harem group is usually unchanged, and it consists of 5 to 15 animals. In winter, individual harems may unite into a common herd, which is often joined by juvenile males and adult solitary males. Such herds can have up to 50 or more animals. The area of ​​the winter area of ​​one herd on average does not exceed 50 square meters. km, the size of the annual area reaches 200 km².

In search of pastures, the dominant bull or adult cow leads the herd, but in dangerous situations, only the main bull plays the dominant role. Animals usually move slowly and calmly, but if necessary, they are able to reach speeds of up to 40 km / h and run considerable distances.

Vocalization

Usually silent, in case of danger, both males and females sniff and snort loudly. During fights during the rutting season, males make a roar. The calves bleat in search of their mother.

Reproduction and education of offspring

The rut period for musk oxen usually falls on July-August. At this time, females accept the courtship of dominant males, which almost cease to rest and become aggressive, primarily towards young males. Between adult males, skirmishes for females are not uncommon. Such interactions begin with displays of power: bulls roar, shake their heads, butt, kick, and dig. If none of the opponents concedes, a real fight can begin. The males slightly disperse to the sides, then run towards each other and knock their foreheads together. We observed fights where there were up to 40 such collisions. Deaths are extremely rare, usually one of the rivals takes flight.

Pregnancy lasts 8–8.5 months, and at the end of spring, calves are born in musk oxen. Before giving birth, females do not leave the herd, but only stay on the periphery. A calf is born weighing 8–10 kg and there is only one, twins are extremely rare. The newborn is dressed in thick wool, and to protect from the cold he already has body fat. A few minutes after birth, the baby gets to his feet, a few minutes later he tries mother's milk for the first time, and a week later he eats his first blade of grass (if by this time it has already grown). Babies grow quickly, and by the end of the first month of life, their weight doubles. At this age, they already actively eat pasture, but milk feeding lasts up to five months, sometimes longer. Sexually mature females become in the second year of life, but usually the first calf is born at the age of three. Males - for the 2-3rd year, but older brothers allow them to breed much later.

From the very first days, the calves begin to play with each other, and their mothers are grouped near the mischievous ones, forming the so-called mother groups. From the end of July, these groups receive close attention from dominant males as the rutting season approaches. In areas rich in food, musk oxen give birth annually, in low-feed areas - after a year.

natural enemies

The main enemies for musk oxen in nature are wolves. Polar bears, brown bears and wolverines can prey on them, but these predators get only very weak or dying animals. Wolves may attack solitary young or old animals, or try to drive them away from the herd. While the musk ox is in the herd, nothing threatens him - when attacked by predators, adult animals form a circle, in the center of which cubs are grouped. Unlucky hunters are met by sharp horns and hooves, and the main problem wolves - to break the line so that one of the ungulates takes flight. Otherwise, they have no choice but to get out the best.

Lifespan

The maximum life span of musk oxen is 25 years, the average is 11–14 years.

Musk oxen at the Moscow Zoo

The first musk ox appeared at the zoo in 1972. It was a young steer that arrived as a gift from Canada in the midst of an unusually hot and dry summer. It brought a lot of excitement to the employees, since the air temperature for 3 months was kept at + 26-36 ° in the shade, frankly, more suitable for an inhabitant of the African savannah. The house was adapted for him in the shade of trees, so that the tenant would be at least a little bit easier, and nothing, the kid endured the test.

The history of the current herd also began in 2002 with Canada-Moscow flights, one of which delivered to us a young six-month-old male from the Winnipeg Zoo, and the second - two females of the same age from a special farm where they breed this species of animals. The new arrivals were accommodated in an enclosure where musk oxen were traditionally kept. It is located in the Old Territory. New settlers had a place to frolic - there are even open areas in the aviary, and trees, and even small mountains and rocks. The young group took root very well and in a few years pleased the employees with their first cub, a charming female. Over time, she began to participate in reproduction along with older females. While the current group of musk oxen lives in the zoo, 6 more calves were born - 4 males and 2 females. All of them, growing up, went to different zoos in Russia and the world. Now, together with their parents in the enclosure, you can see two calves - a male (he is older) and a small female. Soon they will also have a long journey to new places of residence, to other families. In the meantime, the baby often stays close to the mother, securely settling at her side. It is warmer there, and closer to food. The young male actively explores the mountain slopes, makes attempts to wrestle with the trees, and sometimes casts a glance at the main male. However, this opponent is not up to him yet.

The long and thick coat of musk oxen needs special care. In order for the animals to be able to monitor their own appearance, special "combs" - large brushes - were installed for them on one of the walls of the enclosure. Musk oxen rub against them with pleasure. Especially diligently they do it now, in the spring, when they get rid of winter wool and thick shedding undercoat.

By nature, our musk oxen are very sociable. They know well the voices of the keepers who look after them, but they are wary of strangers. They know their names very well and obediently move to the inner corral, knowing that a delicious treat awaits them there.

At the zoo, they are offered hay and willow branches for breakfast, grass in summer, and a "mash" of carrots, potatoes, beets, grains and bran for lunch. Animals eat oatmeal with pleasure, they love onions.

Kira Stoletova

The musk ox is a large, thickly furred animal that lives in the northern regions of America and Eurasia. Represents the musk ox genus and the bovid family. For a long time there were disputes about its taxonomic affiliation. Previously, the animal was classified as a subfamily of bulls, now scientists define it as a subfamily of goats. But the cubs are still called calves, not lambs.

Musk oxen are listed in the Red Book, although in some places their population has increased so much that there is a question of deleting the species from the list of endangered ones.

Description of musk oxen

The ancestors of musk oxen lived earlier in Central Asia, mainly in the Himalayas. Approximately 3.5 million years ago, the climatic conditions on Earth, it became colder, the musk oxen moved closer to Siberia, settled throughout the north of the Eurasian zone, crossed the Bering Isthmus and ended up in America. When the climate warmed, the number of these animals declined sharply. Almost all animals close to musk bulls of those times died out, only reindeer remained.

The musk ox is not at all a hybrid of a sheep and a cow, as many may misunderstand from the name. It just looks like two of these animals at the same time. Scientists have long doubted which subfamily this strange individual belongs to. In the west, the species is more often called the musk ox, but this name also has nothing to do with the specific secretion of the glands of some animals. It comes from the name of the swamp "musked" in the dialect of the Indians of the Cree tribe.

Appearance of musk oxen

The appearance of musk oxen is shaped by their habitat. They are covered with wool, which makes them appear larger than in reality. The head of animals is decorated with horns, and both in males and females, this helps them protect themselves from enemies.

Here short description appearance of a musk ox:

• Height - 135-138 cm, female - 120 cm.
• Weight - 260-350 kg (in the female - up to 300 kg), in captivity it can exceed 650 kg.
• The body of the male is 210-260 cm, that of the female is 190-240 cm.
• The head is massive, elongated in length.
• The horns are twisted, increase in size up to 6 years, bend first down, then forward, at the last stage - to the sides. Females have smaller horns, there is a gap between them on the head. Males have solid and longer horns.
• The ears are quite small, about 3 cm in calves, and 6 cm in adults.
• A hump is formed in the shoulder region and on the nape.
• The back of the case is noticeably narrower than the front.
• The legs are low, stocky, they are longer behind than in front.
• The hooves are rounded and large, well suited for walking on snow, climbing rocks. The front hooves are wider than the hind ones, as with their help the musk ox obtains food under a thick cover of snow.
• The tail is shortened, in the calf - 6-6.5 cm, in the adult musk bull - 12.2-14.5 cm.
• The udder of the females is not very large, covered with blond hair, the length of the nipple is 3.5-4.5 cm.

The size of musk oxen depends very much on the habitat, the availability of a sufficient amount of food. For example, larger individuals live in the west of Greenland than in the east. The same can be said about living animals in captivity and in freedom.

Wool characteristic

Thanks to the thick woolen cover, the musk ox is able to survive even arctic frosts. Its wool warms 8 times better than sheep's. The color of the coat is from brown-brown above, to black below. The hair is long and often reaches the ground. Here is a characteristic of the structure of wool:

• Guide hairs
• Guard hairs of three orders, about 60 cm long
• Intermediate hair of two orders
• Thick downy hair of two orders make up the undercoat or giviot (it is much thinner and warmer than cashmere)

The musk ox is completely covered with wool, which is very important for the harsh Arctic. Only horns, lips and hooves remain free. Shedding begins in May or June. Bulls lose their undercoat, which begins to grow back in August. In older animals and pregnant females, molting may be delayed. The musk ox changes its outer hair gradually throughout the year.

Range and habitat

Where do musk ox live? The natural population is found in Canada and Greenland. In Alaska, these animals were completely exterminated in the 19th century, but now individuals from neighboring regions have been brought there, and their numbers are resuming. In the 70s of the last century, the musk ox was successfully acclimatized in Taimyr and Wrangel Island. Now the population has reached such a level that it is possible to resettle animals in other regions. First of all, musk oxen are resettled from Wrangel Island.

Musk oxen appeared in Russia and in other regions, not only in Taimyr. They are in the Magadan region, in Yakutia, in the Urals, they were brought to the Yamal island. The musk ox from North America is now actively settled in Sweden and Norway. The population is constantly increasing, and it is hoped that ancient animals will be excluded from the Red Book.

Musk oxen live in the northern arctic zone both on the plains and in mountainous areas. The territory on which the musk ox lives should have 200 km². In this area, starting from the end of spring, herds actively roam in search of food and dry pastures, which are not so numerous in the cold regions of the Arctic.

Migrating herds move along the tundra quite slowly, but in case of danger they can reach speeds of up to 40-50 km / h. This movement lasts until the first half of autumn. In winter, bulls live in a smaller area of ​​​​about 50 km². Musk ox its habitat in winter period does not leave, as reindeer do. On the contrary, migration decreases in cold weather.

natural enemies

These large animals have natural enemies. They are hunted by wolverines, polar bear, wolves. Most often, predators hunt for herds with small calves, hunt down old, sick and weakened animals. Animals are especially active at the end of winter, when the herds are starving, they practically lose all their fat, even the young dominant male musk ox feels weak at this time.

The musk ox is perfectly able to defend himself if he is in the herd. Adults become in a circle, inside it are females with cubs. Exposing the horns, the animals will not let a single predator approach them. A pack of wolves can sometimes break through the defense. But even if a polar bear or a wolf steals a cub, an adult musk ox will desperately protect him.

Musk oxen also used the tactics of protection against predators against humans. Unfortunately, in this case, she played a cruel joke with them. Hunters simply shot the herds with a gun, almost the entire population was destroyed. Musk oxen animals were killed for meat, for the sake of valuable fur and even just for the original trophy. Today, wherever this species lives, hunting is prohibited. Many musk oxen live in the reserve.

Lifestyle

Musk oxen live in small groups of 7-10 heads in summer. In winter, groups gather in larger herds, which can number up to 50 individuals. In one group there are several females and 2-3 males. One male can be the leader, the rest are in a subordinate position. Such a group cannot be called typical of herbivores. First, the females gather together, then the male appears near them. Other bulls may fight the male in the herd and take over the females if they win.

In addition to groups with animals of different sexes, there are exclusively male herds. Older bulls prefer to live alone. In winter, several groups gather together. During this period, the territory of their migration sharply decreases. Musk oxen most sleep to save energy. Snow storms are experienced by straying into a close group.

Food

The musk ox eats almost everything, the sparse vegetation of the tundra and short summer leave him no choice. AT warm time year, the bull feeds on herbaceous plants, which are actively developing at this time. For several weeks, bulls gain mass, build up subcutaneous fat in order to survive a long cold winter. The bull eats during this period 6-9 times a day, rests between meals.

Closer to autumn, the musk ox switches to feeding on shrubs, small Karelian birches, moss and lichen. When snow falls, animals hollow out dead wood, reindeer moss from under it with their hooves. They are able to break through a layer of snow cover about 40 cm thick. If the ground is covered with ice or more snow falls, the herd may starve. After a harsh winter, musk oxen go looking for shale, as they need to replenish their mineral reserves.

The wolves ate our musk oxen. A unique find in the cave of the Polar Urals

Rutting and mating

Females mature to mate and give birth to calves in their second year of life, at approximately 11-17 months of age. Males are a little later, at 2-3 years of age.

The musk bull rut starts in July-September. Dates may vary depending on where the animals live. For example, in the east of Greenland, this occurs in last days August, and in Norway - in July. Sometimes in the middle of spring you can observe a false rut, when males arrange brawls among themselves. Actually at this time we are talking not about females, but about grazing territory and dominance in the herd.

The rut is divided into three different periods:

• Start. Female musk oxen begin estrus, they allow themselves to be sniffed, and do not show aggression towards males. The dominant male changes his behavior, eats little and hardly sleeps, shows aggression towards younger bulls.
• Razgar. The main male creates temporary pairs with one or the other female. Each pair lasts 1-2 days, mating many times.
• Attenuation. Females stop letting the male approach them, he has an appetite, and aggression towards other bulls decreases.

Fights between bulls during the rut are not too aggressive. They clatter their hooves, threaten with horns, compete to outshout who. Through a short time the weaker one runs away. It is extremely rare for bulls to collide head-on. There can be up to 40 such collisions in one battle. The death of one of the participants in the fight can occur only in exceptional cases.

Pregnancy and birth of calves

Musk ox bear cubs for 8-8.5 months. Lush fur and the cylindrical structure of the body of animals does not allow to notice this condition in females during outside observation. Only very experienced zoologists can identify pregnant females. Most calves are born at the end of April, when it is already quite warm, the polar day begins, but the herd has not yet migrated. If the female does not have time to calve, she will have to give birth on the way.

When the time of birth comes, the female musk ox separates a little from the herd. Contractions last 5-20 minutes. Immediately after birth, the calf rises to its feet, and after a couple of minutes it sticks to the milk. The weight of calves is 8-10 kg, they have a thick layer of fat that protects them from frost. Females in the wild give birth to a single calf. Twins are extremely rare, most of these calves do not survive, often their mothers die with them. There is only a chance for such calves to come out in a nature reserve or zoo.

Already from the second week, the cub of the musk ox gradually eats grass, from the month it makes up an essential part of their diet. Breast milk the baby eats up to 5 months. Females often stray into maternal herds for more effective protection of the calves. In such a group there can be 7-10 adults and the same number of calves. Young growth from the first days begins to play among themselves, learns social contacts in a group. The mother recognizes her baby by smell, he is guided by the voice and appearance.

The life expectancy of a musk ox is 10-15 years. Females up to 10 years old, with good feeding, give birth to calves annually. After this age - in a year. If there is little food, the musk ox gives birth to one calf every 2 years. If musk oxen are only threatened natural enemies rather than humans, their numbers are growing rapidly. One female can give birth to 8-10 cubs in her life. That is why acclimatization in many countries has been so successful. An endangered polar species, the musk ox has been given a second chance at life.

The musk ox, or musk ox, is the only modern representative of the genus Ovibos from the bovid family. The genus Ovibos belongs to the subfamily Caprinae, which also includes goats and mountain sheep. One modern species and 2 fossils are known. The closest relative of the musk ox among modern species considered takin. To date, this is one of the few species of large herbivores that are adapted to permanent habitation in high latitudes (except for musk oxen, reindeer can constantly live there).

The traditional European name for musk oxen is "musk ox". Russian name"musk ox" is a literal translation of the Latin name "Ovibos".

Appearance

This is a fairly large animal of dense physique. The body dimensions of adult males are approximately as follows: an average length of 225 cm, a height at the withers of 127 cm, and a weight of about 300 kg. Females are smaller by about one third, a quarter. The front of the muzzle is covered with short hair (not hairless, as in bulls). Both males and females have horns, but in males they are noticeably larger and more massive, in males they have a length of up to 73 cm, in females - up to 40 cm. The horns at the base are very wide, swollen and wrinkled and are so close together on the forehead of the animal that only a narrow groove remains between them. They first bend down, then forward, then up and out. Horns of light, horny, gray color with black ends. They are smooth and round in cross section (except for the main part). In females, a patch of skin covered with white fluff remains between the horns. The ears are small, pointed and almost hidden in the fur. The legs are relatively short, strong, the short tail is hidden in the coat, almost always not visible. The footprint size of an adult male is 12x12 - 12x14 cm. The stride length of an adult male is about 60 cm. Rectal temperature in adults is 38.4°C. The front hooves are slightly larger than the hind hooves. The track of the animal resembles that of a cow, the length of the track is 6-10 cm, the width is up to 16, the stride length is 50-75 cm. The diploid set of chromosomes of the muskox is 2n = 48, NF = 60. The vertebral section consists of 39 vertebrae. The eyes are large and projected sideways. Rib cage wide. The animal's brain is relatively large - its volume reaches 350 cm? with a mass of 358.5 gr. The musk ox is covered with thick long coarse hair with a soft silky undercoat. The special thermal insulation properties of the fur are achieved due to the thick warm undercoat - fluff, which is called "geviot". Musk musk ox is dark brown above, black-brown below with a brownish light spot in the middle of the back. The coat is very dense, long, shaggy, hanging almost to the ground, elongated on the underside of the neck, with a dense undercoat, short only on the legs. This luxurious fur coat of eight types of hair is one of the most perfect thermal insulation coverings in the animal kingdom. He is the record holder for the length of the coat, on the back it is relatively small - fifteen centimeters, on the sides and stomach 60-90 cm, the beast looks like a spacious woolen poncho covered up to the very hooves. The molt of the hairline of animals is one, lasts from May to July inclusive. Winter fur is longer and thicker.

reproduction

Rutting from the end of July to the beginning of October. Before the rut in late July - early August, a powerful male joins the group of females with young animals, which displaces young males from it and forms a harem. During the courtship duel, two males run towards each other and forcefully knock their foreheads together, in the manner of rams. After repeated frontal strikes, the weaker male leaves the battlefield. Males roar during tournament fights. The leader of the harem herd is very aggressive and can be dangerous. During the rut, the males emit a strong smell of musk, from which they got their second name - musk oxen. Pregnancy lasts about 8-9 months, the calf is born in late April - early June, twins are rare. After the birth of the cub, the female immediately (almost always) begins to lick it. In nature, the weight of a newborn is 7-8 kg. Cubs grow quickly and already at the age of two months weigh about 40-45 kg. At the age of four months, their weight is approximately 70-75 kg, at six months or a year they already weigh 80-95 kg, and at two years - about 140-180 kg. 2-3 hours after birth, the calf is already able to follow the mother. In the first two days, the number of feedings ranges from 8 to 18, and the total feeding time is 35-50 minutes. A two-week-old calf suckles its mother 4-8 times a day, a monthly calf 1-6 times, the time of a single feeding rarely reaches 1 minute. The fat content of milk in musk oxen reaches 11%, 5.3% protein and 3.6% milk sugar. The udder of females is small, covered with thick short blond hair, has 2 pairs of short (3.5-4.5 cm) nipples. It feeds on milk for about 4 months, however, some late-born and unmarried females feed calves for up to a year or more. A calf begins to taste rags of grasses and mosses at a week of age, and after a month it switches to pasture green fodder, supplemented with portions of milk. The sex ratio of newborns is close to 1:1, however, in the adult population of musk oxen, there are much more males than females. Becomes an adult at 3-4 years of age. Maternal care lasts up to a year. The calves are grouped for joint games, which unites the females into one group. A permanent group of females with calves is formed. In areas rich in forage, females give birth annually, in poor areas - often with a gap of 1 year for 10-12 years. The maximum life span of musk oxen is 23-24 years, the average is 11-14 years.

Lifestyle

An inhabitant of the hilly arctic tundra and polar deserts, in winter it often grazes in the mountains, where the wind blows snow off the slopes. In summer they move to the places richest in food - in the valleys of rivers and lakes and depressions in the tundra. The preference for certain habitats depends on the season and food availability. The way of life resembles sheep. Lives in herds, 4-7 heads in summer, 12-50 in winter, climbs rocks very deftly, feeds on moss, lichens (moss reindeer moss and others), grass, various types shrub willows and birches. Animals willingly eat cotton grass, sedge, astragalus, reedgrass, mytnik, bluegrass, meadow grass, foxtail, arctagrostis, arctophila, dipontia, dryad. In summer, animals alternate feeding and resting about 6-9 times a day. From September to May it roams. They do not make large seasonal movements. The area of ​​the winter area of ​​one herd on average does not exceed 50 km 2, the size of the annual area reaches 200 km 2. In search of pastures, the herd bull or adult cow leads the herd, but in dangerous situations, only the herd bull plays the dominant role. Animals usually move slowly and calmly, but if necessary, they are able to reach speeds of up to 40 km / h and run considerable distances. AT winter time Musk oxen sleep or rest most of the time, digesting the food they eat. During arctic storms, musk oxen lie with their backs to the wind, and, unlike migratory reindeer, spend the winter staying in a small area of ​​the territory. Musk oxen tolerate any frost well, but high snows are destructive for them, especially those covered with an ice crust, although they are able to forage from under loose snow up to 40-50 cm deep.

Spreading

At present, the indigenous populations of the musk ox inhabit the region of North America north of 60 ° N. sh., except for the mainland is found on the land of Parry, Greenel land, in western and eastern Greenland and on the northern coast of this island (83 degrees north latitude). Until 1865, he lived in the north of Alaska, but was completely exterminated. It was brought back in 1930. In 1936, the musk ox was brought to Nanivak Island, in 1969 - to Nelson Island in the Bering Sea and to the reserve in the northeast of Alaska, in all these places it successfully took root. Attempts to acclimatize the musk ox in Sweden, Iceland and Norway were not very successful.

Introduction

As early as the 1920s, many zoologists raised the question of the expediency of settling musk oxen in the tundra zone of Russia, since the country has a vast territory in the Arctic suitable for re-climatization of the musk ox. Potentially, several hundred thousand musk oxen can live in Russia. But for this it is necessary to organize a wide migration of young animals to new areas, since they themselves do this due to the presence of wide swampy areas and major rivers extremely difficult, and from Wrangel Island it is completely impossible.

Taimyr and Wrangel Island

In the mid-70s of the 20th century, an experiment began on the reintroduction of musk oxen that previously lived here in Taimyr at the mouth of the Bikada River and Wrangel Island. Canadian zoologists caught the first batch of musk oxen for Taimyr in August 1974 on about. Banks 10 young animals (aged 15 months), equally males and females. In the spring of 1975, another 40 animals were captured for Russia on Nunivak Island off the coast of Alaska (USA). They were delivered, then divided into two equal groups and sent to different places: one - to the reserve "Wrangel Island" (12 females and 6 males of 11 months of age and a two-year-old female and male), and the other - to Taimyr, in the lower reaches of Bikada , where animals from Canada have already wintered. The imported musk ox took root successfully. The first successful calving on Wrangel Island was noted in 1977, and on Taimyr in 1978. The population has gradually increased over the years since release, and the populated area has expanded. By the beginning of the 1990s, musk oxen had completely populated Wrangel Island. Unfortunately, the resettlement of musk oxen was interrupted for a long time by well-known political and social transformations. In 1994, the number of musk oxen in Taimyr exceeded 1,000. About 300 animals lived on Wrangel Island at that time. At present, according to some estimates, about 4 thousand musk oxen live in the Taimyr tundra. The population on Wrangel Island has reached its maximum size (850 heads) and can become a source for resettlement and the creation of new herds on the mainland.

Polar Ural

By 2000, free-living populations of musk oxen had been created in the Polar Urals, on the Terpyai-Tumus peninsula, in the Lena delta, on the island of B. Begichev in the Khatanga Bay, and in the lower reaches of the Indigirka near the village of Chokurdakh.

Yakutia

In October 1996, the first batch of musk oxen (24 six-month-old calves) was brought from Taimyr to the Bulunsky ulus of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). In total, 101 animals were resettled from Taimyr. The livestock in Yakutia exceeded 400 heads. 4 viable populations were formed - Bulunskaya, Anabarskaya, Begichevskaya and Allaikhovskaya. In 1997, a group of musk oxen was released in the Yamal Peninsula; the reacclimatization of the musk ox in the tundra zone is generally going well: the number is increasing, and the species is gradually self-dispersing. Many mountain regions of our North are also suitable for the introduction of this species.

Magadan Region

In 2005, 30 musk oxen were delivered from Taimyr to the Magadan region. Shortly after the delivery, the organization that delivered the animals was disbanded and the gold mining artel "Kryvbas" took care of the animals. In 2010, the animals, which had previously been fed mixed fodder and harvested hay, were released into the wild. As a result, two herds of 16 and 10 animals were formed, respectively.

The musk ox belongs to the family of bovids, the closest related group is goats and rams. Now preserved as the only representative in its form, which is divided into two subspecies according to habitat:

inhabitants northern regions mainland Canada;
living in Greenland and the islands of the Canadian archipelago. Both subspecies are sometimes found in Siberia, Norway and Sweden.

They belong to large horned animals. The height of musk oxen at the withers is 120-130 cm, weight is about 300 kg. The body length of females is 1.35-2 meters, males reach 2-2.5 meters. Distinctive feature males are smooth round massive horns, 70-75 cm long (in females they are about 40 cm). At the very base, the horns are very wide, closely standing, with a narrow strip of wool between them (in females - in the form of white soft fluff).

By the way, such wool and yarn from musk oxen of a rare white color, which can be found near Queen Maud Bay (northern Canada), is very expensive - up to $ 80 per ounce (28 g).

The coat of these animals, dark, black-brown colors, most often differs in density, length and rough texture, but the undercoat is very soft. They shed from late spring to July.

During mating season(August-September) mature males begin to beat their foreheads, until the moment one of them admits defeat. The winner gets the whole harem, which the male defends very aggressively, not allowing any approach of strangers. The second name of musk oxen is a musk ox, which is associated with their very strong smell musk, which is characteristic of the rut period.

Video: Head-to-head battle - Musk oxen. From the TV series Viking Wilderness.

After the onset of pregnancy in females, aggressive behavior males stops, but goes to expectant mothers who bear cubs from 8 to 9 months. Calving - April-June. A newborn weighs up to 8 kg. But by six months, he can reach a centner weight. The calf can immediately get up and follow the mother, which he will not leave until 2 years old. Milk feeding - up to 5 months. The maturation of musk oxen ends by 3-4 years. The maximum recorded lifespan of this beast is 25 years, but rarely does anyone live in natural environment more than 14 years old.

Musk oxen lead a herd life, straying 8-20 individuals in summer period, and in winter - 12-25. They feed on any vegetation of the northern regions: mosses, reindeer moss, sedge, various trees and shrubs.

Natural enemies are arctic wolves, grizzly bears, polar bears. Musk oxen, defending themselves, prefer not to flee, but stand up in a tight ring and repel attacks from opponents. Calves hide inside the ring. Adult individuals take turns attacking the wolves and after a quick sortie they return to the circle again. This method of defense helped musk oxen effectively defend themselves against predators, but such protection, alas, is powerless against firearms.

One of the few large herbivores adapted to life in the Arctic latitudes. In addition to the musk ox (musk ox), only reindeer live there permanently.

Description of the musk ox

Ovibos moschatus, or musk ox, is a member of the artiodactyl order and is the only representative of the genus Ovibos (musk oxen) of the bovid family, except for 2 fossil species. The genus Ovibos is assigned to the subfamily Caprinae (goat), which also includes goats.

It is interesting! Takin is recognized as the closest relative of the musk ox.

However, in its physique, the musk ox is more like a bull than a goat: this conclusion was made after studying the body and internal organs muscle bull. Proximity to sheep can be traced in the anatomy and serological reactions, and to bulls in the structure of the teeth and skull.

Appearance

Due to evolution, the musk ox acquired a characteristic exterior, formed harsh conditions a habitat. So, he does not have protruding parts of the body to reduce heat loss in cold weather, but there is a very thick long fur, whose thermal insulation properties are provided by giviot (a dense undercoat that warms 8 times more intensely than sheep's wool). The Musk Ox is a stocky animal with big head and a short neck, overgrown with profuse hair, because of which it seems larger than it really is.

It is interesting! The growth of an adult musk ox at the withers is on average 1.3–1.4 m with a weight of 260 to 650 kg. The musk ox has a developed musculature, where the total muscle mass reaches almost 20% of its body weight.

The front of the muzzle is not bare, like bulls, but covered with short hair. Pointed triangular ears are not always distinguishable against the background of matted hair. Strong limbs are covered with fur up to the hooves, and the hind hooves are smaller than the front ones. The shortened tail is lost in the coat and is usually not visible.

Nature has endowed the musk ox with sickle-shaped horns, wide and wrinkled at the base (on the forehead), where a narrow groove separates them. Further, each horn gradually becomes thinner, going down, bending around the area near the eyes and already from the cheeks rushing outward with curved ends. Smooth and round in cross section, the horns (with the exception of their frontal part) can be gray, beige or brown, darkening to black towards their tips.

The color of the musk ox is dominated by dark brown (above) and black-brown (below) with a lightened spot in the center of the ridge. Light hair is observed on the legs and sometimes on the forehead. The length of the coat varies from 15 cm on the back to 0.6-0.9 m on the stomach and sides. When looking at the musk ox, it seems that they have thrown a luxurious shaggy poncho over him, hanging almost to the ground.

It is interesting! 8 (!) types of hair are involved in the creation of the coat, thanks to which the musk ox fur has unsurpassed thermal insulation characteristics, better than any other animal on the planet.

In winter, the fur is especially thick and long, molting occurs in the warm season and lasts from May to July (inclusive).

Lifestyle, behavior

The musk ox has adapted to the cold and feels good among the polar deserts and arctic tundra. It chooses habitats based on the season and the availability of certain food: in winter it often goes to the mountains, where the wind sweeps snow from the slopes, and in summer it descends into abundant river valleys and lowlands in the tundra.

It resembles sheep in its way of life, straying into small herds of different sexes, 4-10 in summer, 12-50 in winter. Males form same-sex groups in autumn / summer or live alone (such hermits make up to 9% of the local population).

The area of ​​the winter pasture of the herd does not exceed an average of 50 km², but together with summer areas it reaches 200 km². In search of food, the herd is led by a leader or an adult cow, but in a critical situation, only the herd bull takes responsibility for the comrades. Musk bulls go slowly, accelerating up to 40 km / h if necessary and overcoming considerable distances. Musk oxen climb rocks very cleverly. Unlike reindeer, they do not make long seasonal movements, but roam from September to May, remaining in the local territory. In the warm season, feeding is interspersed with rest 6–9 times a day.

Important! In winter, animals mainly rest or sleep, digesting vegetation, extracted from under loose, up to half a meter deep, snow. When an arctic storm begins, the muskoxen lay down with their backs to the wind. They are not afraid of frosts, but high snows are dangerous, especially those bound by infusion.

The musk ox has relatively large eyes, which help to recognize objects in the conditions of the polar night, and the rest of the senses are well developed. True, the musk ox does not have such a keen sense of smell as its neighbor in the tundra (), but thanks to it, animals sense the approach of predators and find plants under the snow. Voice signaling is straightforward: adults sniff/snort in alarm, males roar at mating matches, calves bleat to call their mother.

How long does a musk ox live

Representatives of the species live an average of 11–14 years, under favorable conditions almost doubling this period and living up to 23–24 years.

sexual dimorphism

Differences, including anatomical ones, between male and female musk ox individuals are quite significant. In the wild, males gain 350–400 kg with a height at the withers of up to 1.5 m and a body length of 2.1–2.6 m, while females are noticeably lower at the withers (up to 1.2 m) and shorter in length (1 .9–2.4 m) with a weight equal to 60% of the average weight of the male. In captivity, the mass of animals increases significantly: in the male up to 650–700 kg, in the female up to 300 kg and more.

It is interesting! Representatives of both sexes are decorated with horns, but male horns are always more massive and longer, up to 73 cm, while female ones are almost half as long (up to 40 cm).

In addition, the horns of females do not have a specific wrinkled thickening near the base, but instead they have a patch of skin between the horns where white fluff grows. Also, females have a small udder with paired nipples (3.5–4.5 cm long), overgrown with light hairs.

The difference between the sexes can also be seen in terms of reproductive maturation. The female musk ox becomes fertile by the age of 2, but with a hearty feeding, she is ready for fertilization even earlier, at 15–17 months. Males become sexually mature not earlier than 2–3 years of age.

Range, habitats

The original range of the musk ox covered the boundless Arctic territories of Eurasia, from where, along the Bering Isthmus (which once connected Chukotka and Alaska), the animals migrated to North America and later to Greenland. Musk oxen fossils are found from Siberia to the latitude of Kyiv (to the south), as well as in France, Germany and Great Britain.

Important! The main factor in the reduction of the range and number of musk oxen was global warming climate, resulting in the melting of the Polar Basin, an increase in height/density snow cover and swamping of the tundra-steppe.

Nowadays, musk oxen live in North America (north of 60 ° N), on Greenel and Parry land, in western / eastern Greenland and on the northern coast of Greenland (83 ° N). Until 1865, animals inhabited the north of Alaska, where they were then completely exterminated. In 1930 they were brought to Alaska, in 1936 - to about. Nunivak, in 1969 - on about. Nelson in the Bering Sea and in one of the reserves of Alaska.

The musk ox took root perfectly in these places, which cannot be said about Iceland, Norway and Sweden, where the introduction of the species failed. Re-acclimatization of musk oxen was also taken up in Russia: a few years ago, about 8 thousand animals lived in the Taimyr tundra, 850 heads were counted on about. Wrangel, more than 1 thousand - in Yakutia, over 30 - in the Magadan region and about 8 dozen - in Yamal.

Musk ox diet

This is a typical herbivore that has managed to adapt to the scarce fodder grounds of the cold Arctic. The Arctic summer lasts only a few weeks, which means that for most of the year, musk oxen have to make do with dry vegetation, which they hoof under the snow.

The diet of the musk ox is made up of plants such as:

• shrub birch/willow;
• lichens (including reindeer moss) and moss;
• sedge, including cotton grass;
• astragalus and mytnik;
• arctagrostis and arctophila;
• partridge grass (dryad);
• bluegrass (reed grass, meadow grass and foxtail).

In the summer, before the snow falls and the active rut begins, musk oxen come to natural salt licks to make up for the lack of macro- and microelements.

Reproduction and offspring

The rut, as a rule, lasts from late July to mid-October, but sometimes shifts due to the weather to September-December. All females of the herd, ready for mating, are covered by a single dominant male.

And only in numerous herds, one / several subdominant bulls also take on the role of continuers of the genus. In wrestling for a female, challengers are often limited to a threat display that includes head tilting, butting, roaring, and kicking the ground.

If the opponent does not give up, a real fight begins - the bulls, having dispersed for 30–50 m, run towards each other, hitting their foreheads (sometimes up to 40 times). The defeated retreats, but in some cases even dies on the battlefield. Pregnancy lasts 8–8.5 months, culminating in the appearance of one cub (rarely twins) weighing 7–8 kg. A couple of hours after birth, the calf can follow the mother. In the first 2 days, the female feeds her child 8–18 times, giving this process a total of 35–50 minutes. A two-week-old calf is applied to the nipples 4-8 times a day, a monthly calf 1-6 times.

It is interesting! Due to the high (11%) fat content of milk, calves grow rapidly, gaining 40-45 kg by their 2 months. At the age of four months, they weigh up to 70–75 kg, at six months or a year they weigh about 80–95 kg, and by 2 years, at least 140–180 kg.

Milk feeding lasts 4 months, but sometimes it is delayed up to 1 year or more, for example, in females who have given birth late. Already at the age of one week, the calf tries mosses and grass rags, and a month later it moves to pasture vegetation, supplemented by mother's milk.

A cow takes care of a calf for up to 12 months. Herd calves unite for games, which automatically rallies the females and leads to the formation of a group of cows with young animals. In rich food areas, offspring appear annually, in low-feed areas - half as often, in a year. Despite an equal number of males/females among newborns, there are always more bulls in adult populations than cows.