After Surviving Two Ice Ages, The Muskox is Bouncing Back From Near Extinction

Muskoxen have outlived wooly mammoths and sabertooth tigers. Efforts to repopulate the Arctic bring hope the prehistoric beasts can survive our latest warm spell. Muskoxen have populated the planet for at least 2.5 million years, crossing the Bering Strait land bridge into North America 2 million years ago.

Recent warm weather has brought rain, where their used to be only snow, creating layers of ice over vegetation the muskox used to rely on to get them through winter. As the climate becomes more unpredictable, conservation and re-population efforts are more important than ever. Here's the product of one such effort at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Muskox are slow breeders, producing one calf every two to three years. These photos belong to nature photographer Doug Lindstrand can be purchased on his website DougLindstrand.com. Watch Musk Ox Battle One of the Harshest Climates on the Planet: