Photo by kiliiiyuyan / Musk ox are the kings and queens of endurance. Once plentiful in the far north, they were nearly extinct in Alaska from rifle hunting by 1920. They were reintroduced from Greenland in the 1960s, and began a healthy climb as their populations spread around arctic Alaska and Canada. Musk ox tend to live on windswept, steep slopes in winter, where snow is shallow and they are well protected from predators due to the exposure. This also makes them tough to photograph in winter! I captured this herd during ripping windchill temperatures of around -37 F, but my days with these amazing creatures were well worth it! Follow me, kiliiiyuyan, for more of the human relationship to the wild world. #muskox #alaska