Muskox with newborn in the central Arctic coastal plain of Alaska
Muskox with newborn in the central Arctic coastal plain of Alaska (© Steven Kazlowski/Danita Delimont)
The year of the Ox
Today marks the start of Chinese New Year festivities, which continue through February 26. Because the holiday goes by the lunar calendar, the date of Chinese New Year on our solar calendar changes each year. The Chinese New Year also comes with a turn of the zodiac, which is divided into 12 parts, with each part represented by a different animal. The zodiac system assigns a single animal and its attributes to represent each year, and 2021 is the Year of the Ox. The others are Rat, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
© Steven Kazlowski/Danita Delimont