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Conservation Center Introduces Musk Oxen to Moose Calves (with photo gallery)
Unprecedented mix of species proves successful
By KTVA CBS 11 News
ANCHORAGE - The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center had plenty of youngsters on its hands this spring: elk, wood bison, musk oxen and orphaned moose calves were all residents. But the center's staff had an original idea - why not see if the moose calves and musk oxen calves would play well together?
The two species don't meet in the wild naturally, and Mike Miller, the center's director, said they were prepared to separate the calves if things didn't go as planned, but the two species - previously strangers - got along famously, the center reports.
The musk oxen calves were named Hammond and Walter; the moose calves are Ted, Tony and Sarah - notice a theme?
Click one of the small thumbnails at left to see the new friends, or visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center at mile 79 of the Seward Highway, where the calves are on display daily and you can catch them feeding at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
