This cute little creature is a muskrat, a semi-aquatic rodent which is found living in streams, marshes, ponds, and lakes throughout North America and Canada. A few years ago, one lived at the base of the Sycamore tree. I enjoyed watching him swim along the bank near my house but sadly, erosion filled in that part of the lake and the muskrat disappeared. Now he’s back!! Here is a video of him digging for roots at the edge of the marsh.
Muskrats have thick fur and grow to about 10-14 inches in length, excluding their long, flat, scaly tail. Back feet are webbed and the tail is used to steer when swimming. Here are a few Muskrat facts:
Homes: Lake bank burrows or lodges built out of cattails or other aquatic plants.
Diet: Grasses, aquatic vegetation, frogs, snails, mussels, and fish.
Young: Females can have up to five litters a year and up to 10 babies in each litter.
I’m so happy to see Muskrat back in the marsh. They’re fun to watch and even though they like to dig for roots, they're a lot less destructive than Beavers.
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