Heap of excitement in the Highlands

Keepers at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park are celebrating the exceptional birth of an extremely difficult species to breed and rear in captivity. Tòrr, which means a heap or mountain in Gaelic, is a month old, young male musk ox calf that arrived in June this year. Born to mum Karin, Tòrr joins big brother Boeuf who entered the world early last summer. 

This previously near-extinct species has a very high neonatal mortality rate, with few musk oxen in captivity surviving into adulthood. Prior to Highland Wildlife Park’s breeding success, the last musk ox calf to survive in the UK was born 23 years ago.

Inherently aggressive Arctic animals, these impressive prehistoric beasts managed to outlive the woolly mammoth and once roamed Scotland during the Ice Age. In more recent times they became extinct from their range in Asia and Alaska and were only found in the very north of Canada and Greenland, but as a result of effective reintroduction programmes they can be found in much of their historic territories. Although some threat still exists due to climate change, musk oxen are now listed as being of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and are considered a real conservation success story.

Douglas Richardson, Head of Living Collections at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, said: “We are very pleased with the birth of Tòrr, however this species is incredibly hard to breed and, because infant mortality is normally high with musk oxen as they have extremely fragile immune systems and are susceptible to disease, we have a long way to go before we can confidently say that we have been successful in this instance.

“Three musk ox calves have been born at the Park in the last few years, but only one calf, Boeuf, has survived past the extremely complicated first year of age. However, like older brother Boeuf, so far Tòrr is growing well and is being closely monitored by his keepers.”

Boeuf is currently in a separate enclosure with his father, whilst the young calf is with his mother. They will be introduced to one another once the calf is a little bigger.   

Photographers are invited to photograph the new calf in the musk ox enclosure at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park.