 The Makings for a Good Sweater The long, thick coat of the muskox reaches almost to the ground, and makes it look larger than it really is. The coat consists of two parts: long, coarse outer hairs, called guard hairs, that shed rain and snow; and a soft, dense, wool-like underhair called "qiviut". The combination of the heavy guard hairs and insulating qiviut protect the muskox from the severe cold and winds of the Arctic. No wool is as warm and light as qiviut, and it has been called the rarest fiber in the world. It can be woven into clothing articles - like scarves that are sold in many tourist shops in Alaska.
Click pictures for more information and credits. Library: Arctic, Animals Links: Muskox, Arctic, Arctic Animals Arctic Maps & Weather Reports |
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DICTIONARY: Just "double-click" any unlinked word on this page for the definition from Merriam-Webster's Student Electronic Dictionary at Word Central. |
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ARCTIC LIBRARY & GLOSSARY: Check this section for an index of the rest of the things you really need to know about the Arctic. |
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ARCTIC MAPS & WEATHER REPORTS: Maps of the Northwest Passage, explorers' routes, iceberg sources, Nunavut, the Arctic by treeline, temperature... |
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ARCTIC LINKS: Even more information! Links to sites related to the Arctic and "Iceberg: the Story of the Throps and the Squallhoots". |
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GUIDE TO ARCTIC SUNRISE & SUNSET: How much sunlight or darkness is there in the Arctic on each day of the year? |
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