#ARCTIC. #SIBERIA. THIS IS TAIMYR. A female musk ox rescued in Taimyr, which has been cared for in the Krasnoyarsk flora and fauna park Royev Roochey for several months, has grown noticeably. She gained weight, replaced her calf fluff with ‘grown-up’ hair, and got horns.
The musk ox is given a specially selected milk formula from the bottle six times a day. In nature, zoologists note, mothers feed their calves with milk for up to one year, or even more. At the same time, having reached only a week old, such babies begin to try moss and other vegetation. Alana is no exception. She was taught to eat plant food and hay by her friend in the enclosure, a Cameroonian goat named Peppa.
Royev Roochey employees say that by October-November Alana will be the size of an adult animal. She has already grown noticeably, but is still playful, loves to chase the ball and play catch. Musk oxen are herd animals, and this explains a lot about Alana’s character.
“She loves hugs, although this is already becoming dangerous – the girl has grown up. Prepared for winter: the fur has grown thick and dense. You can already feel Alana’s little horns”, Royev Roochey employees wrote about their pupil on social networks.
Let us remind you that the calf was found in the spring in Taimyr near the body of its dead mother. The baby was transported to Royev Roochey, whose employees have experience in caring for such animals. Alana was in quarantine for two months, after which she was released into an open enclosure.
Earlier, participants in the complex research expedition Pyasina-2022 updated data on the musk oxen population in Taimyr – scientists discovered several groups of medium size in the eastern part of the peninsula. In the long term, a population of many thousands of musk oxen may arise in Taimyr.
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Text: Elena Popova, Photo: Royev Roochey
