Grizzly Bear vs. Muskox

[rhino]

Unfortunately, many of those accounts are uncredible, embellished, or hoaxed.

About as reliable as the "mighty paw swipe of doom" rumor bears supposedly have.

Only a coastal grizzly bear with a weight advantage can kill a muskox. the average bear isn't strong enough IMO

[Deleted]

Apr 27, 2013 18:47:34 GMT -5 @rhino said:

that thick fur and fat layers is more than decent protection from the bear's blunt claws and teeth.

Those supposedly blunt claws havent stopped a grizzly from killing multiple male musk ox. How do you propose this poorly-armed bovid would win? Charging against an equally large and robust bear wouldnt do much, considering those horns are so small. The bear has superior weaponry and the ability to grapple down the ox.

[rhino]

muskox weaponry isn't designed to stab. They fight by head on crashing. The several inch thick boss helmet is more than enough to severely incapacitate a bear.

[Deleted]

Exactly, and blunt force is not as deadly as stabbing weapons considering the two are so close to each others size and muskox cant exactly maneuver so well. Unless the bear just stands still and lets the muskox bash its nose in, I dont see it getting fatally hurt often by one charge.
How would muskox even fight when faced against a predator? That grizzly that killed multiple muskox didnt even have to worry about retaliation.

[rhino]

the bear that killed multiple ox likely picked up on weakened individuals that couldn't fight back as effectively. Bears rarely attack large ungulates.

As for how the ox would defend itself, well... it would charge and try to ram the bear. That's pretty self-explanatory.

[rhino]

it's a bit astounding how a few people think a bear, something that rarely attacks big prey, will instinctively have the know-how to defeat a musk ox.

[Deleted]

Abviously the above post is directed at me.

Well just because it doesnt attack big prey it hasnt stopped a grizzly from killing multiple musk ox or taking a moose on occasion. When pushed, the grizzly is the better killer then the musk ox and has the weaponry to prevail.
If anything its more astounding how people think an equal sized, fluffy ungulate with little aggression and poor weapons will kill a grizzly.

[Deleted]

Apr 28, 2013 18:42:59 GMT -5 @rhino said:

the bear that killed multiple ox likely picked up on weakened individuals that couldn't fight back as effectively. Bears rarely attack large ungulates.

As for how the ox would defend itself, well... it would charge and try to ram the bear. That's pretty self-explanatory.

How do you know they were sick.

And just because you see musk ox charging each other in ritualized mating fights, doesnt mean the will use that in a fight. A bear could anyways avoid a head on charge from such distances that musk ox usually do it by. A ram from close-up would do much less damage.

[rhino]

There aren't many vulnerable regions on an ox the bear can bite onto. It's too well protected by its thick fur and fat layers.

[rhino]

you see, the bear is being overrated again.

Bear killing oxen or moose is uncommon and usually on weakened or small individuals. Not prime adults.

Bears are usually vegetarian or small game hunters. They don't have the same competitive or predatory drive of felines, wolves, and the like.

If anything, it's the bear that is more likely to break off the attack and flee when the ox stands its ground.

[Cr1TiKaL]

This is a mismatch. Grizzly bear wins this pretty easily. It has better dexterity and grappling ability with its limbs, is around the size of a muskox, has better weaponry and already kills the muskox in the wild anyway. Muskox needs a large size advantage to be favoured against the bear.

I think that bears are at a pretty good advantage against similarly sized ungulates which usually use their heads as weapons, as most of the time if they can avoid the head than they are capable of getting into a position where they could cause some good amount of damage to their sides or just grab it from the side of its head. If it is capable of grabbing its head and wrestling it down as well (not impossible), then there wouldn't be much that the ungulate could do because its main weapon in a face-to-face fight would be controlled and unable to use.

A grizzly bear had once killed 5 or 6 muskox in one go, as well.

[rhino]

you guys make it sound as if the ox is going to just sit there and let the bear maul it.

www.tundraanimals.net/tundraanimals/muskox.html Musk Oxen do not run from predators, mainly, wolves. Rather, as a defensive posture they will form a circle around the calves and fight any invaders. Males are extremely possessive of their harem of females. A male with a harem will become very aggressive and drive other males away and possibly out of the herd.
and
Musk Oxen have an outer coat made of long, brown
hairs and an inner coat called qiviut which consists of wool. This is a special adaptation that helps the musk ox survive the freezing temperatures of the tundra.i]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-16582825 A specialised facility strong enough to withstand the strength and destructive nature of the ox was built to house the two females. Mr Richardson said: "Musk ox, even females, are notoriously aggressive and the keepers will need to exercise the same level of care as they do when working with the polar bear or the tigers. "Tremendously hot tempered during the breeding season, males, who can weigh up to 350kg, can bend heavy steel with their reinforced head - definitely not an animal you want to get too close to."

[rhino]

animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/grizzly-bear/ Grizzly bears are powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predators, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose.

Straight from the experts of national geographic