Sept 21, 2023 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/184326134
Musk Ox (Ovibos moschatus) are located in northwestern and eastern Alaska. Though once native to Alaska, they became extinct in the 1920s and were reintroduced in the 1930s where in less than 40 years the population went from 34 to 750. Today it is well over 4,000.
Musk ox are most similar to bison, I would say. They are large, up to 800 lbs, dark and wooly animals with two large horns that meet in the middle of their forehead, almost like a headband. Their soft underfur is called qiviut and when woven is very soft and very warm, most commonly made into what we call smoke rings (neck warmer), headbands and hats. Their fur is rare and very expensive, hats can range from $300 to $500, sweaters around $2,000.
Musk ox are a source of nutrition. I’ve only tried it in chili, which I think masked any chance at sampling flavor or consistency. I’ve been told that their meat is amazing, very rich and oily and flavorful. There is no open hunting season on them, hunters must enter a drawing to be selected to hunt them. Only a small group of hunters are chosen, and they have rigid restrictions, such as they can only hunt from herds located 80 miles outside of town or that you must only use a bow and arrow.
Musk ox are something our tourists and new residents are amazed by. They really are impressive creatures, however, they are not looked upon kindly by locals. In recent years they have taken up residency in city limits, on streets, next to buildings and in yards. Though seemingly docile, they are not friendly. They have killed many our residents’ dogs and charged their owners. Last year they killed their first human, a Trooper very dear to our community. There is an ongoing unofficial battle between residents and Alaska Department of Fish and Game that has no sign of resolution in the near future.
Work Cited
Dfg.webmaster@alaska.gov. (n.d.). Muskox species profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Muskox Species Profile, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=muskox.main
評論
I didn't know Musk Ox went extinct and were reintroduced! That's impressive! At first glance, they remind me of Bison as well. I'm used to seeing Bison in Wyoming and they are so massive and majestic. It's unfortunate to hear that they have been taking up residency in city limits and causing so many problems including an unfortunate death. It seems issues regarding animals in cities are becoming more and more prevalent. Hopefully some solutions can be established to prevent further harm to both residents and the Musk Ox.
Hello, Amy! This is an amazing observation you spotted in the wild this week. I do not believe I have ever seen a Musk Ox and it is really great you were able to observe this majestic animal in the wild. At my first glance of the picture, I mistakenly thought the large creature was a Tartary Ox, also known just as a domestic Yak, but, after further examination, I realized that the animal in question was unlike the Musk Ox in quite a few ways. Though they are in the same family of Bovidae, I noticed the Ox you have posted has different horns that remain closer to the head/ears instead of extending out and the color of their fur is different. Thanks for sharing and I am excited to see what you come up with for next week as well!
I thought Musk Ox was something Canada had, but I never realized we had them in Alaska. It makes perfect sense for them to live up here; I've never seen one, so that makes sense why I don't know about them. I like how, in the photo, the baby is looking right at you, but the mom is side-eyeing you. It reminded me of the moose that come into my backyard during the wintertime and how the babies would stare right at me, but the mom looked like it was ready to fight. I'm sorry to hear that the Musk Ox has been causing your community so much trouble. During winter, I have to look out every window to make sure there are no moose outside so that I can let my dogs out. The moose could get spooked and trample the dogs if I'm not careful. Musk Ox fur is rare and expensive. I would never have guessed that it would cost two thousand dollars for a sweater; that's impressive. Anyway, I enjoyed your observation this week, and I can't wait to see what's next.
Amy, I was immediately drawn to your observation because I love large animals and the picture you captured of these musk oxes is amazing! I had no idea musk ox used to be native to Alaska, nor that their qiviut is used for clothing and warmers. It makes sense their products are so expensive seeing as the population, although it recovered very quickly and abundantly, is still relatively small. I find the system of chance for hunting so interesting. I know a man who got selected at one point but was unable to find any in the wild to hunt. I'm sorry to hear about the passing of one of your troopers. I did not realize the animals were so aggressive and I hope there is a solution to these interactions some day. Hopefully, it does not have to take another life to get there. Thank you so much for sharing!
Wow! You write "[m]usk ox are something our tourists and new residents are amazed by," and I see that reflected in my own response, as well as the responses of some of your peers. Thanks for sharing this observation with us, Amy!
Also, great job on including your source listed at the end of your journal entry, but it's important that you correctly include that source WITHIN the body of your journal entry whenever you state any facts that you have gathered from a source. For example, your very first sentence is a fact: what the species range is. You would have gotten that information from a source, and so it's essential you give that source credit. You do that by using your parenthetical citation. Some of your peers are doing this in their journals, so you can look back through some of your peers' journal entries. You can also review the videos from Week 4 on MLA format and parenthetical citations. (Everyone in class can always email me, too, with any questions about MLA format).
Best,
Professor Brooke
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