Muskrat

The Muskrat or Musquash (Ondatra zibethicus), the only species in genus Ondatra, is a large aquatic rodent native to North America, and introduced in parts of Europe. Adult body length is usually between 25-40 cm long, with a strong, laterally compressed tail 20-25 cm long. The body is covered in thick, brown waterproof fur; the underparts are paler. In brackish waters of New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia the black muskrat lives with brown muskrats. They have partially webbed hind feet and small able hand-like front feet. The weight is up to 1700 g, about four times the weight of a Brown Rat.

Swamp Bunny is a nickname for a Muskrat. It is commonly used in the Mid-Atlantic States, especially in the marsh-lands and rivers surrounding the Chesapeake Bay.

Natural habitat

They live in wetlands: ponds, lakes, marshes and river banks, hence the nickname "swamp bunny". They are very good swimmers, using their tail for propulsion in the water. They are found in Alaska, Canada, the United States and northern Mexico. Extensive burrow systems are dug in the ground adjacent to the water with an underwater entrance. In marshes, lodges are constructed from cattails and mud. They also build feeding platforms in wetlands. It is common to find Muskrats living in beaver lodges, too. Muskrats help maintain open areas in marshes, which helps to provide habitat for aquatic birds.

These animals are most active at night or near dawn and dusk. They feed on cattails and other aquatic vegetation, freshwater mussels, frogs, crayfish and small turtles. Their predators include mink, foxes, coyotes, wolves, lynx and large owls. They are also trapped for their fur and, in some communities, for their meat.

The male muskrat marks his territory with a strong musky secretion which gives this animal its name. Females have 2 to 3 litters of 6 to 8 young. Muskrat populations appear to go through a regular pattern of rise and dramatic decline spread over a 6 to 10 year period.

While much wetland habitat has been eliminated due to human activity, new muskrat habitat has been created by the construction of canals or irrigation channels and the muskrat remains common and wide-spread.

Muskrat as an exogenous species in Europe

At the beginning of the 20th century (around 1905), the muskrat was introduced in the European wildlife by fur traders who thought to make a profit with the animals. Some animals escaped, other were set loose after it turned out that the business wasn't profitable. The first place where Muskrats were released for 'farming' was Hut's pond near Dobříš, Czech Republic. Due to their rapid breeding and lack of predators, the species quickly spread out over continental Europe, from the North Sea to the Black Sea and beyond.

Adaptations

Muskrats have two unique adaptations that help with survival. The first is the shape of their nostrils. They look like the number seven. The shape of the nostrils allows muskrats to inhale remaining oxygen from recently exhaled breath. This allows for muskrats to swim under water for up to 15 minutes. The other adaptation has to do with how the muskrat got its name. Muskrats are named because of the musk glands located near the underside of their tail. These secretions are used to warn other muskrats to leave this muskrat's territory alone. This keeps other muskrats away which in return cuts down on competition for food and mates. This aids in the muskrat's survival.

Hunting Muskrat

European countries such as Belgium and The Netherlands consider it to be a pest that must be exterminated. Therefore the animal is hunted to keep the population down. The main reason the animal is considered a pest is because its burrowing causes damage to dykes and levees.

Many people who have muskrats in their ponds (especially dammed ponds) dislike muskrats because they burrow into dams and levees, eventually causing structural problems. Therefore muskrats are hunted year-round to control their numbers, although it is difficult to do so effectively since they breed so rapidly. Often traps are set to catch them, in addition to hunting by .22 caliber rifle. Traps are set in late autumn to early spring depending upon the length of the trapping season set by each state. Muskrats trapped in the winter and spring have the best fur. Traps such as leg hold traps, body gripping traps or cage traps are placed in run ways or in front of dens to their lodges or bank dens. Apples, carrots or gland lure is used to attact the muskrat to the trap. Leghold traps sizes 1 or 1 1/2 are used or 110 Conibear. In winter traps are set below the ice in front of den entrances which are found by bubble trails under the ice or stirred up mud seen under the ice. Traps are checked each day, the muskrat is removed and the trap reset. Muskrats are skinned as "cased" and the skin is slid over a steel wire fur streched with the fur facing to the inside of the strecher. Fat is scraped off the skin which takes about a week to dry and then can be sold

In Belgium and The Netherlands, killed animals are sometimes sold to restaurants and served as waterkonijn (water rabbit).

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