Hold your nose– this month is mating season for the animal which looks like a cross between a bison and a goat: the Musk Ox. I’m Jim Metzner, and this is the Pulse of the Planet, presented by the American Museum of Natural History.
Perry Barboza is a researcher at the University of Alaska’s Large Animal Research Station. He tells us that Musk Ox are found in Arctic regions from Alaska to Greenland. During their mating season, or rut, male Musk Ox compete zealously for females and for dominance within their herd.
“From the male’s point of view, rut is probably the most expensive time because they have to establish the muscle mass that allows them to be very, very forceful in combat. And they also have to have a certain amount of reserves to simply fuel the exercise of trying to beat up on each other.”
With their muscular frames and imposing horns, these animals are well prepared for a fight. But before they do battle, they’ll wage a silent battle of smell.
“A lot of it is avoidance. It’s a lot of threat and they do a lot of sent marking. And they produce considerably pungent odors. Musk Ox will produce a urine that has a great deal of scent marking compounds in it. And it’s unmistakable. And the bulls will urinate on their front legs and of course that is, we think, to get the maximum surface area to expose these odors to the air. And it’s unmistakable if there’s a bull around and the wind is in the right direction, that you’re eyes will water. It is a very pungent aroma.”
Well the rutting season will continue through the end of September, when Musk Ox will become more subdued, conserving their energy for a long arctic winter.
Additional funding for Pulse of the Planet has been provided by the National Science Foundation. I’m Jim Metzner.