REINDEER AND MUSK-OX 



though unfortunately these Httle animals often fall victims to the Esquimaux 

 dogs which, unless constantly watched, will tear them to pieces. 



As will be seen from the submissions of Professor W. T. Hornaday, Curator 

 of the New York Zoological Gardens, which appear as Appendix No. Ill to this 

 report, musk-ox have been kept in domestication for many years in the unfavour- 

 able climate of New York city, while Mr. Stefansson, when in London in 1920, 

 saw two healthy yearling musk-ox females in the Zoological Gardens there. 



The evidence goes to show that there would be no insuperable difficulty in 

 effecting the capture and transportation of even full grown musk-ox, though it 

 goes without saying that for purposes of domestication, the younger animals 

 w^ould be greatly preferable. 



In the matter of domestication, your commissioners would recommend 

 that a station be established at some carefully chosen, suitable point in the 

 northern islands, and that a small staff of intelligent and competent men be 

 charged with the task of capturing a number of the younger animals, these to 

 be kept under reasonable and proper restraint until they become familiar with 

 and friendly to human beings. 



While some expense will be involved, it will be apparent that this will be 

 small as compared with the cost of transporting any considerable number of 

 wild musk-ox from their present habitat to points farther south and more 

 accessible. Later, when suitable arrangements have been made for the mainten- 

 ance of a herd or herds, possibly on one or other of the islands in Hudson bay, 

 it will be much easier and safer to ship a number of these domesticated animals 

 than it would be to attempt their transportation when newly captured and wild. 



In addition to the establishment of a station in one of the northern islands 

 a small number of young musk-ox might be brought down for purposes of domes- 

 tication, in the event of an experimental reindeer herd being located in the 

 Hudson bay region. 



Conservation — 



Your commissioners would strongly recommend that all possible steps be 

 taken to safeguard and preserve such musk-ox as still remain on the Canadian 

 mainland. In order to facilitate such conservation, they think it would be advis- 

 able to endeavour to ascertain either by aeroplane reconnaissance or otherwise, 

 the approximate numbers and locations of these animals. 



In so far as those on the northern islands are concerned, similar steps should 

 also be taken, as although there may be no immediate danger of their extermin- 

 ation or depletion, it is undoubtedly advisable to surround them with proper 

 safeguards and to provide against possible future contingencies, such as, for 

 instance, that of the local Esquimaux becoming possessed of modern firearms. 



Flesh of Musk-ox — 



All the witnesses were agreed that the flesh of the musk-ox is very nutritious 

 and palatable, comparing most favourably with beef, though more tender and 

 luscious. 



It is generally admitted that the flesh of the older bulls is somewhat rank 

 and musky in flavour, and in this connection it will be noted that Captain Munn 

 (see Appendix No. IV) recommends that if domestication is undertaken, a num- 

 ber of the male animals should be castrated. 



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