Table 1.
Global overview of muskox populations, location, subspecies designation, CAFF Arctic zone (CAFF 2013), last survey year, population size, and recent variation (suggested trend) within the last 10 years (Electronic Supplementary Materials, Excel Table S3 contains details)
| Country/Muskox population | Figure 1 no. | Subspecies | CAFF Arctic zone | Last survey year | Population sizea | Recent variation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA—Alaska | ||||||
| Nunivak Island | 1 | wardi | Low | 2015 | 740 | Stable |
| Nelson Island | 2 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 444 | Stable |
| Yukon Kuskokwim Delta | 3 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 252 | Increasingb |
| Seward Peninsula | 4 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 2353 | Stable |
| Cape Thompson | 5 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 227 | Decreasing |
| North East | 6 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 285 | Increasing |
| Total Alaska | ca 4301 | |||||
| Canada Mainland | ||||||
| Yukon | ||||||
| Yukon North slope | 7 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 344 | Increasing |
| Northwest Territories | ||||||
| Inuvik | 8 | moschatus | Low/sub | 2009 | 2855 | Stable |
| Sahtu | 9 | moschatus | Sub | 1997 | 1457 | Increasing |
| North Great Slave | 10 | moschatus | Sub | 2018 | 8098 | Increasing |
| South Great Slave | 11 | moschatus | Sub | 2011 | 164 | Increasingc |
| Nunavut | ||||||
| MX-09 | 12 | moschatus | Low | 2018 | 539 | Stable |
| MX-11d | 13 | moschatus | Low | 2013 | 13 592 | Unknown |
| Thelon, MX-12 | 14 | moschatus | Low/sub | 1994 | 1095 | Decreasing |
| MX-13 | 15 | moschatus | Low/sub | 2010 | 4736 | Increasing |
| MX-10e | 16 | moschatus | High/low | 2013 | 3685 | Increasing |
| Boothia Peninsula MX-08 | 17 | wardi | High | 2018 | 3649 | Increasing |
| Quebec (Nunavik) | ||||||
| Ungava Bay | 18 | wardi | Low | 2019 | 3000 | Increasing |
| Eastern Hudson Bay | 19 | wardi | Low/sub | 2016 | 1000 | Increasing |
| Canada Arctic Archipelagof | ||||||
| Northwest Territories | ||||||
| Banks Is. | 20 | wardi | High | 2014 | 14 021 | Decreasing |
| NW. Victoria Is. | 21 | wardi | High | 2015 | 14 547 | Stable |
| Melville Is. Complexg | 22 | wardi | High | 2012 | 3716 | Increasing |
| Nunavut | ||||||
| E. Victoria Is. MX-07 | 23 | wardi | High | 2014 | 10 026 | Decreasing |
| Pr. Wales/Somerset Is.g MX-06 | 24 | wardi | High | 2016 | 3052 | Unknown |
| Bathurst Is. Complexg MX-05 | 25 | wardi | High | 2013 | 1888 | Increasing |
| Ringnes & Cornwall Is. MX-03 | 26 | wardi | High | 2007 | 21 | Unknown |
| Axel Heiberg Is. MX-02 | 27 | wardi | High | 2007 | 4237 | Unknown |
| Ellesmere Is. MX-01 | 28 | wardi | High | 2015 | 11 315 | Increasing |
| Devon Is. MX-04 | 29 | wardi | High | 2016 | 1963 | Increasing |
| Total Canada | ca 109 000 | |||||
| Greenland | ||||||
| Inglefield Land | 30 | wardi | High | 2000 | 273 | Unknown |
| Cape Atholl | 31 | wardi | High | 2017 | 212 | Stable |
| Sigguk (Svartenhuk) | 32 | wardi | Low | 2002 | 193 | Unknown |
| Naternaq | 33 | wardi | Low | 2004 | 112 | Unknown |
| Sisimiut | 34 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 2622 | Unknown |
| Kangerlussuaq | 35 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 20 334 | Unknown |
| Nuuk | 36 | wardi | Low | 2016 | 14 | Unknown |
| Ivittuut | 37 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 812 | Decreasingh |
| Nanortalik | 38 | wardi | Sub | 2018 | 32 | Increasing |
| Inner Kangertittivaq Fjord | 39 | wardi | High | 2004 | 562 | Unknown |
| Jameson Land | 40 | wardi | High | 2000 | 1761 | Unknown |
| North East Greenland | 41 | wardi | High | 1992 | 12 500 | Unknown |
| Total Greenland | ca 39 427 | |||||
| Scandinavia | ||||||
| Norway: Dovre | 42 | wardi | Not Arctic | 2018 | 244 | Stable |
| Sweden: Rogen Nature Reserve | 43 | wardi | Not Arctic | 2017 | 10 | Unknown |
| Total Scandinavia | ca 254 | |||||
| Russia | ||||||
| Yamal Peninsulai | 44 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 300 | Increasing |
| Taimyr Peninsula | 45 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 12 100 | Increasing |
| Begicheva Islandj | 46 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 230 | Stable |
| Putorana Plateau | 47 | wardi | Sub | 2004 | 20 | Unknown |
| Anabarskay | 48 | wardi | Low/sub | 2017 | 1040 | Increasing |
| Bulunskayk | 49 | wardi | Low/sub | 2017 | 700 | Increasing |
| Indigirskay | 50 | wardi | Low/sub | 2017 | 350 | Increasing |
| Kolymskay | 51 | wardi | Low/sub | 2017 | 30 | Increasing |
| Magadan Oblast | 52 | wardi | Sub | 2015 | 16 | Unknown |
| Magadan Omulevka River | 53 | wardi | Sub | 2015 | 6 | Unknown |
| Chukotkal | 54 | wardi | Low | 2017 | 4 | Decreasing |
| Wrangel Island | 55 | wardi | Low | 2018 | 1000 | Increasing |
| Total Russia | ca 15 796 | |||||
| GLOBAL TOTAL MUSKOXEN | ca 168 778 | |||||
aSize indicates a recent estimate or a minimum/total count (see Electronic Supplementary Materials, Excel Table S3)
bLocal knowledge and observations indicate increasing abundance and distribution
cRecent variation is for 2018; based on increasing number of opportunistic sightings, possibly stabilizing by 2018
dCurrently includes Kugluktuk, Queen Maud, Contwoyto Lake, and two old regions: MX-14 and MX-19. Kuglugtuk sub-area, last surveyed in 2013, may be increasing
eCurrently includes King William Is, Adelaide Peninsula, and two old regions: MX-17 and MX-20
fOnly major island names provided
gMelville Is. complex, includes Melville, Prince Patrick, and Eglinton Islands. Bathurst Is. complex includes Bathurst, Cornwallis, Little Cornwallis, Helena, Sherard-Osborn, Cameron, Vanier, Massey, and Alexander Islands. Prince of Wales/Somerset Island also includes Russell, Prescott, and Pandora Islands
hHarvest management induced decline
i2016, An additional 60 muskoxen were translocated from the Aviary (captive breeding facility)
j2017-Survey method permitted more accurate count than previously, thus not assumed an increase in herd size
k2017, An additional 22 muskoxen translocated to the Lena River Delta
1Although muskoxen have been released several times (most recently in 2010), bears/humans cause high mortality