Musk Ox

Musk oxen are herd animals Musk oxen live together in large herds consisting of a leader bull, females and calves of different ages. The remaining males form small herds. Unlike many other animals, musk oxen do not flee if they are attacked by, for example, a pack of wolves. Instead, the adult animals stand close together facing the wolves, while calves and young animals are protected in the middle. A musk oxen is very strong, and an approaching wolf can risk being impaled on the musk oxen’s pointed horns or being trampled to death. Musk oxen’s fur and wool The musk oxen’s thick fur consists of long guard hairs and a thick woolly undercoat. The guard hairs are water-repellent, and the thick undercoat protects the musk oxen from even the worst polar cold. The musk oxen can live in areas with temperatures as low as -40 degrees. The musk ox’s wool is also called “Qiviut”, and is a sought-after commodity, as it is 8 times warmer than normal sheep’s wool. Musk ox wool is difficult to obtain, as you cannot shear a musk ox like you can sheep. Musk ox wool is therefore collected either when the musk ox sheds its fur or from animals killed after hunting. An ox but not a cow The musk ox is not actually a cow, as its name suggests. It is actually more closely related to sheep and goats. This can be seen in the musk ox’s feces, which are confusingly similar to the small balls you know from a sheep or goat.