MUSKRATS
A muskrat sunning
itself on a mat of vegetation near a bank of the Fall River, northern
California.
[Photo by D. Whisson, May 2001]
Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are semi-aquatic rodents named for their conspicuous odor resulting from secretions from musk glands found at the base of the tail. Muskrats inhabit fresh and saltwater marshes, ponds, lakes and rivers in North America and Europe. The fur of adult muskrats is soft and dense, and interspersed with longer, coarse hairs. The fur is waterproof under normal conditions and traps a layer of air that enhances the muskrat’s buoyancy and insulation. Muskrats molt during summer each year. The flattened tail and partially webbed hind feet provide muskrats with skillful swimming capabilities. They can swim at a rate of 1.5 to 5 km per hour and may also swim backwards. Muskrats can stay submerged for up to 20 minutes. The muskrat has lips that close behind the incisors, allowing them to gnaw on vegetation while submerged. The small forefeet are used for digging and manipulating food or nesting and housing materials.
