The Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a bovine mammal noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor of the male. Both sexes have long curved horns. Musk oxen are usuall around 2 meters long and a meter 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.

Female musk oxen 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.

Musk oxen are native to Arctic 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 imported to Northern Europe, including Norway, and Russia. Musk oxen were close to extinction at one point, but have recovered after being protected from hunting. The world population (as of 1999) is estimated at between 65,000 and 85,000, and increasing, especially in the areas where the animal was introduced in the 20th century.

The Musk ox has long brown, grey and yellowish fur. An adult weights more than 200 kg and might weight more than 400 kg. The hight is about 1,4 cm, and approximately 2,5 meters. Mosk ox` can achieve an age of 25. Their food are grass and other vegitarian food. Mosk ox are a social animal and lives in groups, they are famous for making a defence ring if they feel threatend

Classification

• Family Bovidae
  • Subfamily Aepycerotinae
  • Subfamily Alcelaphinae
  • Subfamily Bovinae
    • Bison, Bison
  • Subfamily Caprinae
    • Musk ox, Ovibos moschatus
    • Goat, Capra
  • Subfamily Cephalophinae
  • Subfamily Hippotraginae
  • Subfamily Peleinae
  • Subfamily Reduncinae