When Ron Webb from Nain asked if we wanted to go see the muskox, we answered with an enthusiastic “yes!” In August 2010, I was part of a group of five who went with Ron in his boat to see the muskox that lives on an island in Anaktalak Bay near the town of Nain, Labrador. I’ve seen lots of moose on the island, and in Labrador I have seen lots of caribou and bears among other animals, but few people have the privilege of being able to see these little-known inhabitants of our province.

The day was perfect for a boat trip, sunny and warm but not hot, with just enough wind to keep the bugs down. Even without the prospect of seeing a muskox, the scenery in Anaktalak Bay is beautiful. Ron identified the various waterfowl we spotted from his boat; no identification was needed for the black bear we saw. Ron regaled us with local lore, hunting and fishing stories, and what it was like in Nain and on the Bay during the “nickel rush” at the nearby Voisey’s Bay nickel mine in the 90s.

As we neared the island, Ron explained that the Muskox was first spotted on this island by friends of his about six years ago. He said there are more muskoxen living farther north up the coast, but this one hasn’t moved from its island in six years. The island, one of many in the vicinity of Nain, has a name, but everybody in Nain now calls it “Muskox Island.”

As we circled the island to see if we could spot it from the boat, I was surprised that Muskox Island was not larger. I estimate that you could walk the length of the island in 20 – 30 minutes. I pictured a large herbivore needing a larger island than that. Certainly there are many larger islands in the vicinity it could have chosen to live on, as well as the mainland. Evidently, the muskox has found its perfect retirement home, just large enough to provide for its needs, yet small enough to be aware of everything on the island, including us!

We speculated that the muskox did not leave the island because it was safe from predators there, but Ron said the wolves knew it was there. Just as the muskox walked across the frozen bay in winter, so could the wolves. The muskox looked imposing, about the size of a moose, but bulkier. Perhaps the wolves decided there were easier meals to be had elsewhere. Despite only having one horn for the last six years, Ron said the muskox has always appeared to be in excellent health. Ron’s opinion was that the muskox would be there for a long time.

Not having spotted the muskox from the boat, we landed on a small beach, and fanned out in search of it. After a few minutes of pleasant hiking on my own, I noticed Ron on the hilltop searching with his rifle scope, so I joined him. Ron knew where the muskox would likely be, and he soon spotted it on the windward side of the island.

Signaling to the others, we soon came upon the muskox. We slowly approached to within about 30 metres as the muskox kept an eye on us. After a few minutes, it slowly sauntered away. We moved to a new vantage point and spent some 20 minutes just watching it.

What pictures do not do justice to is how its coat of hair moves when the muskox walks, its long hair swaying like the skirt of a dancer. I imagined a muskox living on its own perhaps having bachelor’s syndrome, with a shaggy, disheveled, matted coat. This muskox, however, seemed impeccably groomed, and as Ron said, in excellent health.

I certainly did not want to get much closer, both out of respect for the muskox, and a healthy dose of respect (fear!) for what it could do if it got upset. I now appreciated why the wolves would leave it alone. The flies had no such reservations. Despite there being enough of a breeze that we were not troubled by bugs, there were lots of stouts clearly visible flying around the muskox. That many flies would have had me putting on a bug hat or plenty of insect repellant in a hurry, but the muskox did not seem to notice them. Its long, thick coat seemed to protect it from bugs as well as the winter cold.

We took our leave of the muskox, and carefully climbed back down the moss, berry, and flower-covered rocks to the beach for a snack. We had all brought our own snacks. Ron offered us some of his “homemade” Purity cookies. Living in St. John’s, they were certainly “homemade” to me.

The next day, I was back home in St. John’s, showing my family pictures and reflecting on the previous day’s adventure. While it may seem a world away from my urban home in town, Anaktalak Bay and its inhabitants – Inuit, bears, and muskox - are all part of a too little known corner of this beautiful province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

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