muskrat
Sign in to saveThe muskrat or common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent.
AI overview
The muskrat is a medium-sized rodent that lives in and around water, found across North America and introduced to other parts of the world. It plays a role in wetland ecosystems and has historically been trapped for its fur, making it economically significant to some communities.
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Article
11 sectionsContents
- Description
- Behavior
- Subspecies
- Etymology
- Distribution and ecology
- Decline in the United States
- Invasiveness
- Uses
- In culture
- References
- External links
The muskrat or common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent.
Adult muskrats weigh , with a body length (excluding the tail) of . They are covered with short, thick fur of medium to dark brown color. Their long tails, covered with scales rather than hair, are laterally compressed and generate a small amount of thrust, with their webbed hind feet being the main means of propulsion and the unique tail mainly important in directional stability. Muskrats spend most of their time in the water and can swim underwater for 12 to 17 minutes. They live in families of a male and female pair and their young. They build nests to protect themselves from the cold and predators, often burrowed into the bank with an underwater entrance. Muskrats feed mostly on cattail and other aquatic vegetation but also eat small animals.