Mammals · Artiodactyla · Bovidae

Muskox

Ovibos moschatus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

Despite its cattle-like appearance, it is more closely related genetically to sheep and goats than to cattle. Faced with a threat it forms a distinctive defensive circle, adults facing outwards and calves protected in the centre.

Weight

140 kg – 410 kg

Size

1.9 m – 2.5 m

Lifespan

17 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

TundraPolarHerbivore Diurnal In herds Tundra Polar Mammal

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Fun facts

anatomíaIt has a double coat: long outer guard hairs over an extremely fine insulating underlayer, reckoned one of the warmest natural fibres in the world.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Arctic tundra of North America and Greenland, plus reintroduced populations in Scandinavia and Siberia
Birth weight: 9 - 11.5 kg
Size at birth: Able to stand and suckle 45 minutes after birth, already with a layer of qiviut (underwool) and brown fat
Sexual maturity: 1-4 years, varying with body condition
Gestation / incubation: 8-9 months (258 days)
Litter / clutch size: 1 young (twins are very rare and seldom survive)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of 27.4 years in captivity