Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
Length: Head and body 36 cm; tail 25 cm
Features: Reddish-brown fur, black, scaly tail, laterally flattened.
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, muskegs, slow-moving rivers with rushes and cattails.
This aquatic mammal survives the gradual disappearance of muskegs because it acclimates to habitats near water. Its diet is varied: freshwater plants and mollusks, crayfish, and frogs. The female gives birth several times a year, with up to 11 young per litter. The muskrat lives in an aquatic lodge made of cattails or bulrushes. It sometimes shares a beaver lodge.
