Little Muskox, Big Journey
2 minute read –
Nature is beautiful — and often unpredictable. On April 30th, the Yukon Wildlife Preserve welcomed its first muskox calf of the year. But shortly after his arrival, it became clear that something wasn’t quite right. Despite hopes for a strong maternal bond, the mother muskox wasn’t allowing the newborn to nurse. The reason for this rejection remained unclear — the muskox bull was also seen interacting with the calf in a way that raised safety concerns.
Baby Muskox with Mom and Bull Photo Credit Jake Paleczny
To protect the calf, our team made the decision to intervene. He was brought into our Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, where he began receiving around-the-clock care and 1L of specialized milk replacer daily. While it wasn’t the beginning we’d envisioned for him, the calf showed resilience and strength from the very start.
At the same time, the veterinary team kept a close watch on the mother muskox. When it became apparent she hadn’t passed her placenta, she was safely immobilized and given medication to support the process. After several days of monitoring in a separate enclosure, she recovered well and was eventually reunited with the rest of the herd.
Baby Muskox Photo Credit Britt Forsythe
As for the little muskox calf — he’s growing quickly! On May 22nd, at just over three weeks old, he was moved out of the Rehabilitation Centre and into a transitional habitat adjacent to the main herd. This new space allows our team to continue feeding him safely while also helping him gradually reintroduce to his species — a gentle reminder that he is indeed a muskox, even if his first few weeks have looked a little different.
Though he’s still receiving bottle feedings and close care, he’s doing well. If you’re visiting the Preserve, you might just catch a glimpse of him — look up towards the office when standing at the Thinhorn Sheep Ewe’s feeding station — but as always with muskox sightings, a zoom lens or binoculars will be your best friend!
Senior Wildlife Care and Rehabilitation Technician Michael Salilig feeding the baby muskox
Photo credit: Britt Forsythe
Brittney Forsythe
She/Her - Visitor Services Coordinator
Brittney joined the Wildlife preserve in the summer of 2023. Growing up on Northern Vancouver Island, surrounded by the temperate rainforest, nature and animals have always been a part of her life. It exploded into a passion, when she started her dog walking business in 2017 and she began spending 6-7 days a week in the forest, rain or shine! This sparked an even deeper appreciation for the cyclical nature of the land and how all of the plants & animals work together symbiotically. She is forever ‘that girl’ on the hike, pointing out different rocks and plants, explaining their origin or what they could be used for medicinally. Brittney and her dog Cedar relocated to the Yukon to help care for 31 sled dogs. She is so excited to expand her local knowledge as a part of the Preserve team.
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