Sharon Wolf, age 12, of Youngstown, Ohio, for her question:
What exactly are musk oxen?
Twenty years ago, the musk ox was listed as an endangered species, living in small herds around the north polar shores of Canada and Greenland. Then he was adopted. Not since prehistoric days had wild cattle animals been domesticated. The musk ox was most agreeable and the experiment surpassed everybody's wildest dreams. Soon Eskimo villages expect to have their own herds though this precious animal will not be served as meat.
Strange to say, he is not an ox and he has no musk glands. True, he has a bison type profile, but there is nothing cow like in his character. The musk ox is as frisky as his antelope relatives as curious, clever and clownish as his goat relatives. Eskimos call him Oominpmak, the Bearded One. Actually, his rather long face hair extends in a much shagyier shawl over his humped shoulders. From a distance, he seems to be wearing a large white pair of drooping bike handlebars on his forehead. These are his horns. There is a white patch on his nose and in winter, his charcoal brown coat reaches dorm to his furry white booties.
Musk oxen have no sweat glands and must live in cold climates. They dig for scanty Arctic grasses and quench their thirst with snow. Ages ago, they learned to face wolf packs, standing shoulder to shoulder with horns lowered. The herd protects the calves and injured kinfolk inside a tight circle. The bull in charge of the devoted family sternly teaches the youngsters self defense at an early age.
Researchers who first domesticated them learned far more about the musk ox's character. After a short protest, the captives investigated their new situation and voted unanimously to stay. They hitched joyful sleigh rides, snitched apples and unlatched their gate. However, they decided to stay close by. Each was given a name and came prancing up when called. When given a big, ball, they lined up in teams and invented a game. They even enjoyed giving the children rides on their shaggy backs.
It is said that musk ox meat is very good. But who could dream of eating such a charming, intelligent friend. Nobody had to because his silken undercoat makes him far too valuable for the meat market. It is called "qiviut" and every spring, an adult sheds five or six pounds of it. This can be dyed lovely colors and spun into a yarn 5O to 60 miles long. Eskimo women knit it into gossamer garments that can be washed safely in boiling water. It takes about five ounces of qiviut to make a soft, warm dress as lacy as a spider web.
Some 30,000 years ago, French artists painted the musk ox on their cave walls. But after the ice ages, he retreated to the Arctic climate. In recent times, he was hunted for his hide, almost to extinction. In 1926, Canada passed laws to protect the dwindling herds. Now they are making a comeback as our friends and allies. True, our gift pandas are real treasures. But those who think that they outshine the gift musk oxen we sent to China just don't. know much about musk oxen.