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The Musk ox (Ovibos
moschatus) is a bovine noted for its thick coat and for the strong
odor of the male. It belongs to the Caprinae subfamily, being
more closely related to goats than to oxen. Both sexes have long
curved horns. Musk oxen are usually around 2 m long and 1 m high
at the shoulder. The coat includes long guard hairs that reach
almost to the ground. During the summer, musk oxen live in wet
areas, including river valleys. They move to higher elevations
in the winter, to avoid deep snow. They graze on grasses, reeds,
sedges, and other ground plants, digging through snow in the winter
to reach their food. Musk oxen are social and live in herds, usually
of around 10–20 animals but sometimes over 100. Winter herds
consist of adults of both sexes as well as young animals. During
the breeding season, males compete for dominance, and one dominant
bull drives other adult males out of the group.
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Females are sexually
mature at two years of age, and males reach sexual maturity after
five years. The gestation period is eight or nine months. Almost
all pregnancies are of a single calf; the young nurse for a year,
but may start to eat grasses as soon as a week after birth. The
peak of the mating season is mid-August. Musk oxen are native
to the Arctic areas of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. The Alaskan
population was wiped out in the late nineteenth or early twentieth
century, but musk oxen have since been reintroduced to Alaska.
The species has also been reintroduced to northern Europe, including
Norway (a population in the mountains of Sweden and Norway), and
Russia. Musk oxen were close to extinction at one point, but have
recovered after being protected from hunting.
Images 1 Though 6 Are From The US Fish & Wildlife Service
Images 7 Through 12 Are Form The N.O.A.A.
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