The animal with the longest hair on earth

The animal with the longest hair on earth is the musk ox, also known as musk ox and arctic musk ox. It is a mammal in the order Artiodactyla, Bovidae, and genus Musk Ox. The musk ox has long body hair with plump fluff, which is dark brown and has mane hair from the nape of the neck to the shoulders. It is more than 30 centimeters long and can reach up to 60 centimeters in length. It is slightly curly and droops like a cloak. The hair is divided into two layers. Under the long hair, there is a layer of thick velvet, called wool, which is both tough and soft and can block cold and moisture. The upper layer of guard hair can repel rain, snow and wear resistance. The back of the trunk is saddle-shaped with light-colored hair. The older you are, the more obvious the white areas are.

The scientific name of musk ox means "sheep cow", indicating that it is a transitional animal between cattle and sheep. It looks very much like a cow in appearance, and its horns are also like cows. It is similar to cattle in many aspects, but its tail is very short and hidden. Underneath the long hair. The limbs are short and strong, the hooves are wide and open, and there are white hairs under the hooves, so it can step on ice and snow without slipping. Interestingly, its left and right hooves are not symmetrical. Both males and females have horns. The bases of the horns are flat and thick, evenly divided from the middle, and grow outwards close to the skull. The two horns first bend downward, and then lift upward. The length is about 60 cm, the longest record is 70.5 cm, and the female horn is much shorter.

Musk oxen are a species endemic to the Arctic tundra. In summer, it tends to the shelter of humid lowlands, such as river valleys and lakesides; in winter, it moves to higher slopes, plateaus and places where deep snow accumulates to facilitate foraging. They are more resistant to hunger and thirst, and their thick fur can withstand the severe cold of -40-50°C in the Arctic. The down on the musk ox is thick and dense, enough to resist any cold and moisture, and the outer layer of thick long hair is suitable for protecting against rain, snow and strong winds. Therefore, musk ox is an animal that is not afraid of cold, but it is very afraid of heat.

Ungulates in the far north of the Earth: In the colder climates of high latitudes, fur is necessary for animals to survive. Among ungulates, no animal lives farther north than the musk ox—it can be found in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland at 83° north latitude. Musk oxen have double-layered fur that can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C. It is said that the undercoat that the musk ox sheds during its annual shedding period is eight times warmer than sheep's wool, and the protective outer hair is also the longest in the animal kingdom, even reaching 60 centimeters in length. (Guinness World Records)

animal tags： Artiodactyla