Male muskoxen near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, USA

Male muskoxen near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, USA

Both male and female muskoxen have the long, curved horns, which are handy for fending off predators should this large, Arctic bovine get cornered. But the males, seen here, are the only ones to engage in ‘rush and butt’ behaviour, a way of establishing, or maintaining, dominance. Some ranchers keep muskoxen for the fine coat of fur underneath the ox’s heavy guard hair. The inner wool is shaved off and spun into yarn called qiviut.