Rare muskox with fur like a 'magical grass skirt' spotted in Labrador West

Muskox are native to the tundra, and are very rarely seen in southern Labrador

What’s a muskox doing in Labrador West? Wooly encounter caught on video

What Sabrina and Junior Hunt initially thought was a large pile of wood began moving, and revealed itself to be an incredibly rare sight in Labrador West on Saturday.

The couple were boating to their cabin on Shabougamou Lake, around 30 kilometres from Labrador City, when they caught sight of a muskox.

"It was just, kind of, like big and black. But as we got closer, it was like, 'That's moving," Sabrina told CBC News Monday.

The muskox can been seen on the video recorded by Junior Hunt walking around on the shoreline as the couple ride on the water. They were able to get a second look at the muskox from around 30 feet away.

"He's just, jauntily, just taking his time," Sabrina said. "You could see, like, his fur was just swaying back and forth like this magical grass skirt. Like, it was just incredible."

Muskox are typically native to Arctic tundra, but have been spotted in Labrador on a few occasions over the years.

The large mammals have been seen in the Nain area from herds in northern Quebec — where the Hunts believe the muskox might have come from — but a sighting in Labrador West is much more rare.

"When we got a hold of [the Department of Forestry, Agriculture and Lands] afterwards, they were quite surprised at the report that we've seen one — and that we had good pictures and legit video. They were pretty amazed," said Junior.

CBC has contacted the department for comment but has yet to receive a response.

See the muskox making the rounds in Labrador West in the video above.

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With files from Labrador Morning