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Musk Ox

Ovibos moschatus

The musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a shaggy, cold-adapted Arctic hoofed mammal in the family Bovidae. Despite its name and appearance, it is more closely related to sheep and goats (Caprinae) than to cattle or bison. Musk oxen are native to Arctic tundra with endemic populations in Canada and Greenland with reintroduction efforts establishing multiple herds in Alaska and parts of Russia. Their coat is built for extreme cold: long outer guard hairs cover a very soft insulating underwool called qiviut, which is shed annually and can be gathered and spun. When threatened, herds commonly form a tight defensive circle with adults facing outward to protect calves.

The musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a shaggy, cold-adapted Arctic hoofed mammal in the family Bovidae. Despite its name and appearance, it is more closely related to sheep and goats (Caprinae) than to cattle or bison. Musk oxen are native to Arctic tundra with endemic populations in Canada and Greenland with reintroduction efforts establishing multiple herds in Alaska and parts of Russia. Their coat is built for extreme cold: long outer guard hairs cover a very soft insulating underwool called qiviut, which is shed annually and can be gathered and spun. When threatened, herds commonly form a tight defensive circle with adults facing outward to protect calves.