Muskox

Ovibos moschatus

General Status Rank: 
Sensitive
ELCODE: 
AMALE03010
Common Name: 
Muskox
Scientific Name: 
Ovibos moschatus
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Taxonomy
Group: 
Mammal (Terrestrial Mammal)
Kingdom: 
Animalia
Phylum: 
Chordata
Class: 
Mammalia
Order: 
Artiodactyla
Family: 
Bovidae
References: 
B001
General Biology

Female Age at Maturity

As low as 2 years.
References: 
B112

Longevity

Up to 23 years in captivity.
References: 
B001

Economic/Human Considerations

sport hunting, food (B001), Hair used in crafts/clothing, tourism (H111)
References: 
B001
H111
Habitat
Wide variety, but all must have sufficient vegetation; generally in areas of wet meadows, mostly eating willows in summer and sedges in winter.
References: 
B091
H110
H111
Distribution

Ecozones

Arctic Cordillera, Northern Arctic, Southern Arctic, Taiga Shield
References: 
B091
A2019006

Distribution

588,230 km2 (Gunn et al., in press). Near endemic, native to the NWT, Nunavut, and Yukon. Introduced in Labrador and Quebec. Extirpated from Manitoba. Also known from Alaska (extirpated then reintroduced from Greenland) and Greenland (NatureServe Canada).
Score: 
G = 2
References: 
R092
A2019006

Number of Occurrences

9 zones (geographical areas, not populations) (R092).
Score: 
AB =
References: 
R092

Historical Distribution

Throughout tundra and below treeline.
References: 
B091
A2019006

Area of Occupancy

On mainland, distribution increasing to recolonize former range. In Yukon, distribution increase east of river is from 'natural population' whereas west of river is from reintroduced animals to Alaska (H111).
Score: 
-
References: 
B091
H111
H164_05
R203
H310
A2019006
Population

Population Size

About 36,000-37,000 in 2019 (Gunn et al., in press). Total in the NWT: majority (21,000) on Banks and northwest Victoria Island and western Queen Elizabeth Islands. In the 1990s, approximately 86,000-100,000 muskoxen in the NWT(R092; R203). There are about 14,000 on the mainland (Gunn et al. in press).
Score: 
F = 1
References: 
R092
R203

Density

Best habitats below 200 m elevation support 1 - 2 muskox per sq.km.
Trends

Trends

Decreasing on Banks Island and on Victoria Island; increase on Prime Minister's Island. On mainland, increasing or moving in recent years on the barrenlands, increasing in Sahtu (H111. Unknown around Bathurst Inlet, decrease in the Thelon (see Cuyler et al. 2019: A2019006, Gunn et al. in press).
Score: 
D = d
References: 
B091
H111
H164_05
R203
H310
A2019006
Threats

Threats

Diseases, severe winters (long duration, deep snow) (B112), habitat availability (B001), possible evidence of lungworm disease in Rae-Richardson area, over-harvesting in past (H111).
Score: 
BC =
References: 
B091
B112
H111

Intrinsic Vulnerability

Increasing development/ disturbance (H111), rapid muskox population growth and expanding snow goose population on Banks Island (H110).
Score: 
-
References: 
B091
B112
H111
General Status Rank
Rank: 
Sensitive
Status Rank Description: 
Increasing or moving in recent years on the mainland but declining by more than 70% on Banks Island and on northwest Victoria island.Threat increase due to diseases mostly on Arctic islands but recent changes are likely part of natural fluctuations (WMAC, 2015).
S Rank: 
S2S3
Decision Process Description: 
Reviewed in 2004 - no change in status. Reviewed in 2010, no change. Reviewed in 2015, change to sensitive considered but retained secure. Reviewed in 2020 - modified from secure to sensitive based on rank calculator, better trend analysis based on a report (Gunn et al. in press).
Last Updated: 
February 14, 2024

References

Age Of Maturity

  • Chapman JA and Feldhamer GA (editors) (1982) Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, Economics. The Johns Hopkins University Press RWED Library Call #QL715.W5 - B112 Return

Area of Occupancy

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return
  • Larter Nic (2004) Notes on re-assessment of mammals. e-mail to S Carriere dated 12/11/04 copy in reference binder - H164_05 Return
  • Davison, T., Pongracz, J, Williams, J (2010) Caribou and muskox survey on Banks Island and Northwest Victoria Island, 2010 summary. GNWT, ENR printed copy in binder - R203 Return
  • Rob Gau, Larry Carpenter (wmac-c@jointsec.nt.ca); WMAC (wmacnwt@jointsec.nt.ca) (2015) e-mail to S Carriere (10/03/2015) - H310 Return
  • Christine Cuyler , Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Coˆte´, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, P (2019) Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x - A2019006 Return

Economic Status

  • Banfield AWF (1974) The Mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press RWED Library Call #QL721.B3 - B001 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return

Ecozones

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Christine Cuyler , Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Coˆte´, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, P (2019) Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x - A2019006 Return

Habitat

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Nagy J (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Inuvik - H110 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return

Historical Distribution

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Christine Cuyler , Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Coˆte´, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, P (2019) Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x - A2019006 Return

Intrinsic Vulnerability

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Chapman JA and Feldhamer GA (editors) (1982) Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, Economics. The Johns Hopkins University Press RWED Library Call #QL715.W5 - B112 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return

Longevity

  • Banfield AWF (1974) The Mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press RWED Library Call #QL721.B3 - B001 Return

NWT Known Subspecies

Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
,
Groves, P. 1997. Intraspecific variation in mitochondrial DNA of muskoxen, based on control-region sequences. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75:568-575. (1997) Intraspecific variation in mitochondrial DNA of muskoxen, based on control-region sequences. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75:568-575.. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75:568-575. 75:568-575. - A134 Return
,
van Coeverden de Groot, P.J. (2001) Conservation Genetic Implications of Microsatellite Variation in the Muskox Ovibos moschatus: the Effect of Refugial Isolation and the Arctic Ocean on Genetic Structure.. PhD Thesis. Kingston, Ontario, Canada: Queen’s University. - T2019001 Return
,
Hansen, C.C.R., C. Hvilsom, N.M. Schmidt, P. Aastrup, P.J. VanCoeverden de Groot, H.R. Siegismund, and R. Heller. (2018) The muskox lost a substantial part of its genetic diversity on its long road to Greenland. Current Biology 28: 1–7. - A2019005 Return

Number of Occurrences

  • Fournier B and Gunn A (1997) Muskox numbers and distribution in the Northwest Territories, 1997. NWT Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development RWED Library Call #QL81.5.N68 no.121 - R092 Return

Population Size

Fournier B and Gunn A (1997) Muskox numbers and distribution in the Northwest Territories, 1997. NWT Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development RWED Library Call #QL81.5.N68 no.121 - R092 Return
,
Davison, T., Pongracz, J, Williams, J (2010) Caribou and muskox survey on Banks Island and Northwest Victoria Island, 2010 summary. GNWT, ENR printed copy in binder - R203 Return

Range Extent

  • Fournier B and Gunn A (1997) Muskox numbers and distribution in the Northwest Territories, 1997. NWT Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development RWED Library Call #QL81.5.N68 no.121 - R092 Return
  • Christine Cuyler , Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Coˆte´, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, P (2019) Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x - A2019006 Return

Short Term Trends

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return
  • Larter Nic (2004) Notes on re-assessment of mammals. e-mail to S Carriere dated 12/11/04 copy in reference binder - H164_05 Return
  • Davison, T., Pongracz, J, Williams, J (2010) Caribou and muskox survey on Banks Island and Northwest Victoria Island, 2010 summary. GNWT, ENR printed copy in binder - R203 Return
  • Rob Gau, Larry Carpenter (wmac-c@jointsec.nt.ca); WMAC (wmacnwt@jointsec.nt.ca) (2015) e-mail to S Carriere (10/03/2015) - H310 Return
  • Christine Cuyler , Janice Rowell, Jan Adamczewski, Morgan Anderson, John Blake, Tord Bretten, Vincent Brodeur, Mitch Campbell, Sylvia L. Checkley, H. Dean Cluff, Steeve D. Coˆte´, Tracy Davison, Mathieu Dumond, Barrie Ford, Alexander Gruzdev, Anne Gunn, P (2019) Muskox status, recent variation, and uncertain future. Ambio https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-019-01205-x - A2019006 Return

Taxonomy

  • Banfield AWF (1974) The Mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press RWED Library Call #QL721.B3 - B001 Return

Threats

  • Urquhart DR (1982) Muskox : Life History and Curresnt Status of Muskoxen in the NWT.. NWT Renewable Resources RWED Library Call #QL737.U53U76 - B091 Return
  • Chapman JA and Feldhamer GA (editors) (1982) Wild Mammals of North America: Biology, Management, Economics. The Johns Hopkins University Press RWED Library Call #QL715.W5 - B112 Return
  • Veitch A (1999) Personal Communication. Supervisor, Wildlife Management, RWED, Norman Wells - H111 Return