This is one of the favorite traditions of Mother's Day in Alaska, approaching animals that have survived in the ice age.
Palmer, Alaska (AP) – This is one of the favorite traditions of Mother's Day in Alaska, approaching animals that have survived the ice age.
All mothers get a Marguerite and free admission Sunday at Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, about an hour's drive north of Anchorage. Once inside, they will have the opportunity to see 75 members of the flock of musk oxen, including three young calves that are put in place under them. A draw is also an old bull named Trebek, named after the late “Jeopardy!” The host Alex Trebek, a benefactor of the installation.
“Who does not want to celebrate Mother's Day with a Musc beef mother and the most adorable calf that you will never find in your life?” said Mark Austin, executive director of the farm.
Mother's Day is the traditional start of the summer season for the farm, which traces its roots at 1964 and in several places before moving in 1986 in Palmer.
This movement put it on the limited road system of Alaska, allowed easier access to pasture lands than in the communities of Tundra and to incorporate educational opportunities on the farm, which is overshadowed by the Talkeetna and Chugach mountain chains.
“When we opened the doors here, we started to party Mother's Day as a big opening each year,” said Austin.
He called for a natural decision, celebrating mothers with new and newborn muscular oxen on the ground. Until now this year, three baby Musc beefs have been born and are exhibited, and others could be on the way.
Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year, attracting more than 1,500 visitors. It is a tradition that now extends over three generations.
“It's a huge, just a little rite of passage for many people,” said Austin. “If we ever talked not to do it, there would be a riot.”
Musc oxen are survivors of the ice age.
“They were running with saber tooth tigers and mastodons, and they lived,” said Austin. The members of the herd all have various personalities, he added, and they are cunning, intelligent and curious.
Their parents closest to today's animals would be arctic goats. The Mature Ox Musc bulls can have 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) in height and weigh up to 800 pounds (about 360 kilograms), while female cows are smaller at around 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) and up to 500 pounds (about 230 kilograms), depending on the website of the Fish department and Alaska game.
These are treated animals and long hair with a slight bump on the shoulder, a short tail and horns, indicates the website. The Inapiat calls the “itomingmak” musk beef, which means “the animal with the skin like a beard”, for its long hair hanging almost on the ground.
The mammals have passed after northern Europe, Asia, Greenland and North America before starting to die. In the 1920s, the last others were in Greenland and Canada.
The efforts to reintroduce musk beef in Alaska began in 1934, when 34 were delivered to Greenland Fairbanks. Since then, the wild population has increased to around 5,000, located throughout the largest state in the country, said Austin.
The non -profit farm welcomes donations from visitors on Sunday. Some people will go to the baby Musc beef, while others will first read a $ 100 ticket on the counter.
“We like to see the gift, but we really offer it as an event to the community, like a thank you,” said Austin. “It really gives us a chance to return something in return.”
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