What Is Musk Ox? Where Do You Find Them?
Did you know that as humans we only come across 10% of the wildlife that exists and on top of that, we tend to forget that there is so much more that we are unable to devour. But did you know that the musk ox is one of the oldest species and hence these have really been the oldest testimony of wildlife.
For those who do not know, the musk ox does look like a beast and if you have never come in contact with these, it can be a shuddering experience to know about the same. Before we talk about the appearance of this particular animal it is very important that we share with you what is the history and how they originated.
History of the Musk Ox.
Many people do not know this but the musk ox is often regarded as the shaggy survivors of the Ice Age. Not only that, there are a lot of native inhabitants who describe this particular variant as "uminmak" and the literal rendition refers to an animal with a skin which is like a beard. The musk ox has been a testimony since the Ice Age and hence you can understand that these are quite ancient as well. Although they look like giants, in reality they are not very harmful, however if you see them for the first time, it is sure to send chills down your spine.
Today, the musk ox is seen usually in spots like Canada, Greenland and even in Alaska where the winters are quite extreme. Not only that, if you think that these are very common, then in the truest terms it is not so. These are rare and with every passing year, it is becoming more obsolete as well.
Natural Habitat of the Musk Ox.
Now that we are aware about the natural origin of the Musk Ox, it is imperative that we talk about the daily habitat of the same. There are a lot of people who think that this particular variant of animal is non vegetarian however at the same time you will be shocked to know that they depend only on plants for each and every meal. During the spring season you will see that the tundra region is vastly spread with vegetation and hence this is the time when the musk ox finds the most interest. They usually dig the muzzles into the field and have a gala time munching on the plants , grass shoots as well as the flowers.
Not only that, you might be wondering at this point what does the musk ox do when it is time for the winters and the region does not have a lot of vegetation. You will be shocked to know that the ox does have a great sense of smell and can consequently smell vegetation from kilometres away. It is this sense of smell which allows them to stay protected from any kind of danger as well.
If you have ever seen this variant, you will notice that they tend to live in herds and usually there are more than 70- 75 musk ox together flocking around. It is the late autumn or even the summer season which works as the breeding season for the musk ox. In order to breed they will usually try to expand their dominance and then the one who succeeds tends to take the charge. Usually, they tend to give birth to one calf at a time and hence that can weigh around 20 to 30 pounds as well.
Are the Musk Ox Violent In Nature?
Given the beast-like appearance of the Musk ox, it is quite a given that people might think that this ox is violent and hence it can lead to confusions. However, in reality these are not very violent in nature and hence tend to believe in peaceful co-existence as well. As we have already mentioned it is during the breeding season that you will see they tend to get a little bit violent with each other.
It is usually in the form of collision with the horns and can be quite detrimental as well. The hooves of the Musk ox can be quite dangerous though. The best thing about the ox is that it is a very hardy animal and hence it can easily sustain during the harsh winter conditions as well.
The musk ox is a huge animal and it will live its entire life in the Arctic region and above the northern belt. You will notice that the coat colour can range from brown to black and hence they tend to look quite exotic as well. The adult musk ox does have full grown horns as well and along with that a long shaggy coat as well.