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The musk ox, or as it is also called, the musk ox, was selected by experts as a separate detachment because of its unique qualities. They have long hair and a meek tail of a sheep and a horn of a bull. They belong to the family of canids, in which they form 2 subspecies: the first was chosen by the north of Canada, and the second, as its main habitat, chose the island of Greenland and the Canadian islands. Representatives of both subspecies, in addition to these main regions, also live in small numbers in Sweden, Norway and Siberia. Moreover, his neighbor, the reindeer, lives in almost the same latitudes as the musk ox.
In scientific circles, there are still disputes related to the systematization of the position of these animals, but according to most scientists they should be attributed to the goat subfamily, while until the beginning of the 19th century they were attributed to another subfamily - bull. This confusion is most likely due to the fact that young musk oxen are called calves, not lambs, and the birth of the female, respectively, is also called calving, not lambing.
Habitat and species features
Modern scientists believe that musk oxen are the only representatives of this genus. Scientists also suggest that their ancestors living in the Miocene inhabited the Central part of the Asian continent, in particular, the Himalayan mountains. About 3.5 million years ago, their ancestors migrated to northern Asia. In the Illinois period, as a result of glaciation, they were able to spread to the north of the American continent and throughout modern Greenland. The number of animals has decreased dramatically 130 thousand years ago - as a result of sharp warming. This period was successfully transferred to the musk ox and reindeer.
Musk bulls, who had recently lived in the Arctic, almost completely disappeared from Eurasia. This species disappeared from the territory of Alaska in the nineteenth century, but was again introduced in the first half of the twentieth. Today, about 800 animals of this species live in Alaska, and their population continues to grow. In the Russian Federation, this species settled on the territory of Wrangel Island and the Taimyr Peninsula. The territories where these animals live in our country are protected and protected by relevant legislation. Today, the total population totals up to 25 thousand heads.
The appearance of animals was formed under the influence of the nature of life and their environment. So, to reduce heat loss of the body and prevent frostbite, there are no protruding parts of the carcass. In addition, their bodies are covered with long and thick brown or black hair. By the way, color is important in order to catch crumbs of solar heat (but white animals are also found, very rarely). Only the hooves, lips, nose and horns protrude from the hair of the musk ox. Before the summer period, animals molt and their hair becomes shorter, but grows back to winter and a soft undercoat appears. The wool of musk oxen is highly appreciated, and the wool of white musk oxen is even more so.
The head of the animal is powerful and slightly elongated compared to the rest of the carcass. In addition to the horns, on it are eyes (dark brown) and small (about six centimeters) ears. The tail is small (about 15 centimeters). Sense of smell and vision - excellent, able to see in the dark. And enemies and friends, in addition to vision, are distinguished by smell.
The largest specimens are found in the West of Greenland, and the smallest - in the North. The musk ox does not look like a yak or bison, for example, not only externally, their diploid set of chromosomes also varies: the musk ox has 48 pairs of chromosomes, and the bison and yak have 60 pairs.
Musk, musk ox acquired due to the fact that its glands produce a special secret, which has a pronounced smell.
Musk ox lifestyle and character
Musk oxen live in groups whose numbers vary in winter and summer: respectively, up to 20 in winter and up to 20 in summer. At the same time, each group of animals does not fix its habitat, but when moving uses the same routes that they mark. In animal groups, more adult animals dominate over young animals, and in winter this can be expressed in the fact that adult animals can displace young animals from places rich in food. As already mentioned, musk ox groups move along certain routes, and in winter and summer the directions of these routes are different. So, in the winter they prefer to move towards the south, and in the summer they seek food, moving along the banks of the rivers. These are very hardy animals that are capable of supporting running at speeds up to 40 km / h for a long time if they are in danger. However, due to their size, they are slow and unhurried. And in the absence of need, do not make long transitions.
Frosts in their habitats sometimes fall below 60 degrees Celsius below zero. Such a cold is easier to bear, having a long, thick coat and thick undercoat, as well as subcutaneous fat.
Enemies
Natural enemies in the habitats of musk oxen are bears (grizzly and polar) and polar wolves, however, musk oxen are not timid animals, and when attacked, for example, by a lone wolf, muskoxes become in a ring inside which are calves and females. During the attack, the musk ox allow everything that nature gave them for defense and protection (hooves and horns). This method of defense does not work when the attacker is a man with a gun, then a person using this method of protecting animals can destroy all the animals in the herd.
When danger arises, the musk ox sniffs, snorts and roars, and the calves bleat.
Over the previous century, the number of animals has decreased significantly, however, due to the observance of rules by hunters and the fight against poaching, the number of animals is gradually growing.
Food
In addition to the protection functions, the leader's tasks also include the search for pasture. In winter, animals move less, which, firstly, helps to reduce calorie intake, and secondly, helps digest food. In the habitats of musk oxen there is not a large variety of plant foods, so their diet is quite scarce. Due to the fact that the Arctic summer is short, musk oxen do not have time to accumulate enough fat, they have to be content with dry plants that they get from under the snow. However, they really succeeded in this: the musk ox can smell and get food from a depth of half a meter. For the winter period, mosses and lichens are added to their diet, and if you're lucky, then dwarf plants of the tundra. And in winter, animals try to stay on the slopes of the mountains, where the wind blows snow cover, providing free access to food.
In summer, the diet is enriched by sedge and foliage. In addition, musk oxen in the summer are looking for salt licks to replenish the diet with the necessary macro- and microelements.
Reproduction and longevity
The mating season of these animals begins with the end of summer and lasts a couple of months. Females and young form groups, for which males begin to fight in fights. The winners of such fights form their harem, to which the aggressive owner does not allow anyone even close.
Economic value
In addition to the brown and white hair of the musk ox, which has already been mentioned, their undercoat, called giviot, is also valuable. During molting, one animal can get up to 2 kilograms of undercoat. From animals living in captivity, the giviot is obtained by combing, and the wild giviot is collected from the vegetation in the habitat. The meat of the animal is like beef, and the fat resembles lamb. However, meat and fat have a fairly pronounced musky odor.
Video: musk ox (Ovibos moschatus)
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