Day 37 - More Fairbanks, AK

Today is the day we go to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Research Center to see Musk Ox. This research facility the only one of it's kind in the world, is responsible for maintaining a healthy colony of muskoxen for nutritional, physiological, and behavioural research.

The Large Animal Research Station(LARS) sits on 134 acres of land north of the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The land was the homestead of the Yankovich family, who deeded it to the University in 1963.

In the mid to late 1800's muskox died off completely in Alaska. It was thought to be from climate fluctuations. At the same time the number declined in Canada. In 1930 34 young muskox were captured in Greenland and transported by dogsled, ship, and then larger ship. They spent time in quarantine in New York the trained to Seattle, WA. They were then put on a barge to Seward, AK. From Seward they were trained to Fairbanks and released into a large pasture. This trip took 4 months to complete and every muskox survived.

Qiviut(pronounced kin-ee-ut) is the under wool produced by the muskox. It is an extremely fine, soft, downy undercoat. The insulating warmth of qiviut is why muskox can survive Arctic winters. They have an outer coat of long, coarse guard hair that protects the under wool from the wind and snow. That is why they can live on the open Tundra exposed to the harsh cold extremes of the polar arctic.

LARS is also home to cariboo and reindeer. I saw this little one (young reindeer) playing, jumping, and kicking.

That place was so much fun. We went on the 40 minute tour which was very informative.

Even though it is late in the year, I was hoping to see some birds or other wildlife at Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge. But no such luck. I saw more Sandhill Cranes at LARS then here. The 1,800 acre refuge was established to preserve habitats for migratory birds, especially waterfowl.

Another great day in Fairbanks, Alaska.