One of the strangest animals of the far north is the musk ox. Its features are dominated by large curved horns that resemble an upside-down handlebar mustache. A hundred years ago these chunky,long-haired cattle were probably common in most of the Arctic, North America, and northeast greenland. Today there are no more then 20000
The musk ox could often escape primitive weaponry such as bows and arrowsbut the long-range rifles used by contemporary hunterswere too much for themUnfortunately, the instinct of the musk ox herds is to stand and fight when attacked instead of running away. So it is easy to shoot them down with bullets
Wolves are the musk ox's worst enemies outside of hunters with rifles. When a pack of wolves attacks a herd, the old bulls immediately form a tight circle around the cows and calves. With their lowered heads and great curved horns facing outward, they try to kill every wolf that approaches them
Musk oxen exist mostly on grass. tender shoots of willows and other shrubs, and any flowering plants they can find. But in winter every scrap of vegetation in the far north is buried under snow, and all the fresh water is icebound. Instead of drinking water, the musk oxen eat snow: and by pawing and scraping with their big hoofs they uncover enough vegetation to sustain themselves. As for the terrible cold their remarkable long, thick winter coats keep them warm