Back Into History

Today while driving our motor coach around the outskirts of the fair city of Fairbanks, we went out to the University of Alaska's Large Animal Research Facility to see their herd of Musk Ox. They have a herd of about 20 but we only got a close-up view of two.

Musk Ox migrated to North America as long as 200,000 years ago and were contemporaries of the Wooly Mammoth. They became extinct in Alaska in the late 19th or early 20th century, but were reintroduced into Alaska in 1935.

The average weight of a Musk Ox is 600 pounds. Females reach a height of about 5'2" tall and males about 7' tall. The ones we saw were smaller. They get their name from the musky odor emitted by males during mating season.

The Musk Ox produces a wool, call Qiviut (spelling is correct) which is highly prized for its softness, length and insulation value. Prices for this wool range from $50-$90 per ounce.