Rare ox beating the odds at Highland wildlife park
Boeuf the male musk ox calf at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park by Kincraig is celebrating his first birthday today (Tuesday).
Zoo bosses have said the landmark is a great achievement as musk ox calves rarely survive to this age due to their weak immune systems and the inherent aggressiveness of the adults.
Mr Douglas Richardson, Head of Living Collections at the Highland Wildlife Park, said: "We are very pleased to have passed this great milestone; it is a testament to the hard work we have all put in.
"As he gets older it is great that we are seeing Boeuf become slightly more independent, but he is never too far away from mum Karin. His horns are starting to come through and he is rapidly getting bigger.
"The last musk ox calf to survive until adulthood in the UK was born in 1992. Boeuf still has some way to go before he reaches maturity but his first birthday is a very significant step towards that goal.
"He has a lot of growing to do yet before he is as big as his dad, Myse, however as he gets older and larger the risks associated with musk ox young become much less of a concern.
"We are all glad to see him doing so well. "
Musk ox are well adapted to the Arctic environment and are one of few large mammals able to survive year round in severe Arctic conditions. Their thick dense coat provides them with great insulation against the cold and their short legs and rounded hooves help them while moving through snow.
They eat a varied diet of moss, roots and plants as well as flowers and grasses in the summertime and graze in herds of around ten to 20 animals, however sometimes the herd can reach as many as 100 individual animals.
Musk Ox are very aggressive when threatened and despite being large and generally slow moving, males can charge short distances at speeds of up to 25mph.
Due to this they must be kept in specialised enclosures strong enough to withstand such force.
Hunted nearly to extinction, a combination of conservation regulation, reintroductions and natural recolonization mean that they are currently classified as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List.
• Boeuf can be seen with both his parents in the musk ox enclosure at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park.
