 Common Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus |
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Known as ondatra to the native Iroquois, zibethicus is Latin for 'musky-odored,' referring to the scent that breeding males emit. Muskrats are brown with fine, pale fur at the throat, small ears and eyes, and hind feet that are larger than their forefeet. They grow to 16 to 24 inches, weigh about 4 pounds and their lung capacity is extraordinary: Individuals have been observed swimming underwater for up to 17 minutes, surfacing for 3 seconds, and then re-submerging for another 10 minutes without a breath!
Although most active at dusk, dawn or after nightfall, it’s not uncommon to spy muskrats sunning themselves on logs or swimming. Found throughout North America, their grazing activities have been studied for their effects on wetland ecology; scientists hypothesize that muskrats increase the diversity of flora by decreasing the biomass of the narrowleaf cattail.
Photo (top right) of Muskrat
Reflected in Water Photo (bottom left) of a Common
Muskrat courtesy of
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A large,
semi-aquatic rodent that can be found in Chesapeake Bay
wetlands, muskrats prefer fresh or saltwater marshes where the water level remains fairly stable, between four and six feet deep. Their glossy pelts (once prized by the fur industry for their density and waterproof properties), rudder-like tails and webbed hind feet make them strong swimmers and divers. Muskrats are generally herbivores, feeding primarily on vegetation such as cattails and rushes, but will also feed on fish, frogs, freshwater clams and occasionally carrion.
Muskrats build dome-shaped lodges out of vegetation that contain nesting chambers, which they keep clean and free of droppings, and one or more underwater entrances. They prefer to live alone but will occasionally share a lodge. Female muskrats bear several litters a year, averaging 5 or 6 pups. The young can swim within 10 days; by the time they're one month old, they are independent and ejected from the nest.