In the scenic town of Palmer, Alaska, an annual Mother’s Day tradition allows families to interact closely with unique creatures from the ice age. Just a short drive north of Anchorage, the Musk Ox Farm opens its doors on Mother’s Day, gifting all visiting moms a daisy along with free entry. Once inside, visitors have the opportunity to see a herd of 75 musk oxen, including three recently born calves that are just starting to find their footing. A notable attraction is Trebek, an elderly bull named after the beloved “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, who supported the farm.
Mark Austin, the executive director, expressed the joy of celebrating the occasion among these endearing animals. “Who doesn’t want to celebrate Mother’s Day with a musk ox mom and the most adorable calf you’re ever going to find in your life?” he remarked. The special day marks the unofficial beginning of summer for the farm, whose origins date back to 1964. After relocating to Palmer in 1986, the farm benefited from easy access due to Alaska’s limited road system, enhancing both grazing opportunities and educational experiences amidst the majestic Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges.
Austin mentioned that celebrating Mother’s Day became an annual opening ceremony. “When we opened the doors here, we started doing Mother’s Day as a grand opening every year,” he explained. This tradition now spans over three generations, drawing more than 1,500 visitors annually. “It’s a huge, just kind of rite of passage for a lot of people,” Austin noted, highlighting its importance. “If we ever talked about not doing it, there’d be a riot.”
Musk oxen are known for surviving the ice age, having once shared their world with creatures like saber-toothed tigers and mastodons. According to Austin, these animals have diverse personalities and are particularly intelligent and curious. Their closest modern relatives are Arctic goats. Mature males can reach a height of 5 feet and weigh around 800 pounds, whereas females are smaller, usually standing about 4 feet tall and weighing up to 500 pounds, as noted by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Featuring long hair, a slight shoulder hump, short tails, and horns, musk oxen possess distinctive features. The Inupiat people refer to them as “itomingmak,” alluding to their long, beard-like hair. Historically, these mammals roamed vast regions of northern Europe, Asia, Greenland, and North America. However, by the 1920s, their numbers dwindled to those remaining only in Greenland and Canada. Efforts to reintroduce them to Alaska began in 1934, starting with 34 musk oxen brought from Greenland to Fairbanks. Since then, their population has grown to around 5,000 across Alaska, Austin noted.
On this day of celebration, the nonprofit farm appreciates donations from visitors. While many are drawn to see the charming baby musk oxen, others are generous enough to contribute substantially. “We do like to see the donation, but we truly offer this as an event to the community, as a thank you,” Austin stated. “It really gives us a chance to give something back.”