Source and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web
 
Sarah Marie Elder
Some rights reserved

Ovibos moschatus is a social species and much of the behavior is based on the harem breeding system. Muskoxen live in herds as small as 5 animals during the summer, and may join with other small groups to form herds as large as 60 individuals in the winter. These larger groups help provide for protection from both the elements and predators. Other advantages of such a large herd size are that during the long winters, it is easier for a lost muskox to locate a large heard in the dark than a few individuals. Also, younger animals may have the advantage of grazing more food supplies that have been uncovered under the snow. Most herds average between 10 and 20 animals. ("Muskox ( Ovibos moschatus )", 1995; Gray, 1990; Groves, 1997; Rowell, 1990)

Muskoxen have many arctic adaptations to the cold (such as short legs, thick fur, and high body fat), that limit their mobility. Though muskoxen can run as fast as 25 miles per hour, they can easily overheat. For this reason, O. moschatus is generally slow moving and has very short migrations within the home range. However, under certain conditions (weather permitting), muskoxen calves as well as adults will play. This play can include chasing and king of the mountain. (Gray, 1990; Groves, 1997; Reynolds, Wilson, and Klein, 2001; Rowell, 1990)

The social hierarchy in the herd is based upon dominance. Dominance among males is typically determined during the breeding season, and sometimes throughout the year through headbutting and chasing, as well as grunting and bellows. Sometimes males are forced out of the herds during the breeding season. Among females, dominance is determined by age and size, with the larger, older females typically exerting dominance over younger, smaller, females through pushing, shoving, and chasing. Calves are generally lowest in the hierarchy, although they determine dominance amongst themselves through chasing, mounting, and play. Generally, the higher the dominance status of the muskox, the better its food supply and breeding rights. (Gray, 1990; Groves, 1997; Rowell, 1990)

Home Range

Home ranges for muskoxen in Alaska are reported to be very large in the summer, averaging 223 square kilometers, and much smaller in the winter and calving seasons, ranging from 27 to 70 square kilometers. Muskoxen will typically stay in areas near water during summer months and then move to higher ground areas where wind will blow off much of the snow covering food supplies during the winter. (Reynolds, Wilson, and Klein, 2001)

Communication and Perception

Source and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web
 
Sarah Marie Elder
Some rights reserved

Ovibos moschatus has very interesting vocal abilities. Calves, when communicating with cows or each other, bleat. The pitch of the bleat lowers with maturity. Adults have deeper voices that sound closer to roars and rumbles that can be heard long distances. Adults also grunt and snort at each other, at calves, and at other animals. Pushing and shoving, as well as chasing and stomping, are used to communicate dominance. (Gray, 1990; Groves, 1997; Rowell, 1990)

Much of the non-vocal communication among muskoxen occurs during the breeding season when males compete for dominance and breeding rights. Males have very strong-smelling urine and urinate on their front legs and dribble urine during displays as warnings to competitors. They will also use a gland near each eye to mark objects by rubbing their faces against the item to be marked. Bulls also swing their heads, walk sideways, and horn the ground to gather chunks of earth to make themselves look larger. (Gray, 1990; Groves, 1997; Rowell, 1990)