muskrat

Muskrat

Families have one female and one male with offspring or kits. They can have 3 to 10 kits in a litter and 2 to 3 litters in a year. At 6 months to a year they are mature.

Feeding mainly on a variety of aquatic plants including; cattails, bulrushes and sedges. They also are known to eat crayfish, fish and other aquatic animals.

You can find these animals in rivers, ponds, streams and marshes.

Muskrats are a medium sized rodents ranging from 16 to 28 inches long. They have thick brown fur to keep them warm in cold water. Their tails are used to aid them when swimming, these mammals can hold their breath for over 12 minutes. Heavily relying on plants they will populate an area quickly. Though as the population grows the plant matter will decline causing their population to crash.

http://www.iowadnr.gov/portals/idnr/uploads/education/Classroom%20Resources/Factsheets/Mammals/muskrat.pdf

https://www.stormlake.org/525/Muskrat

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Top photo: Peter Pearsall/USFWS

Bottom photo: NPS/Jim Peaco