Melissa Waage's Blog
Arctic herds in a new kind of trouble
March 5, 2008
Posted by Melissa Waage in Saving Wildlife and Wild Places , Solving Global Warming
I remember reading about ice-age musk oxen as a kid and being thrilled to learn that these strange, tough creatures still exist in a corner of the world. I would have been no more surprised to hear about live wooly mammoths on exhibit at the zoo.
Sadly, it turns out that musk oxen, along with caribou and reindeer (another creature of childhood lore) are facing a mysterious new threat triggered by global warming.
Researchers are starting to look at the potentially disastrous effects of the “rain on snow” phenomenon, which occurs when warm air suddenly turns arctic snows to rain or slush. The rain freezes and forms a hard layer of ice on top of the snow, which prevents musk oxen, caribou, and reindeer from grazing.
The result? National Geographic News reports:
“In October 2003 on Banks Island in Canada's Northwest Territories, a rain-on-snow event caused the deaths of more than a quarter of the musk-ox population—20,000 animals. Some native people reported the unusual sight of musk-oxen walking onto floating sea ice in search of food, drifting to watery graves.”
The rain-on-snow effect highlights what the polar bears already know: the Arctic is feeling the pressure of global warming more intensely than other parts of the planet. Temperatures there are rising twice as quickly as in the rest of the world.
Just something to reflect upon while we're waiting for the Bush administration's overdue decision on protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act.
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Comments
destiny palmer — Mar 6 2008 07:10 AM
The saddest thing about things like that are when you try to get people to care and they just don't listen. That is so sad about musk oxen.
Steve Perez — Mar 6 2008 09:07 AM
The people want more Waage blogging! (or Waage blogging in more places?) (and what, you don't share on Facebook?)
arul vigg — Mar 6 2008 01:24 PM
great article well written and wonderfully crafted!!
by arul vigg.