December 1 , 2000

     Muskrats on ice sheets

Muskrats have been taking advantage of the ice sheets, using them as platforms on which to rest and eat.  Muskrats are largely vegetarians, and we can watch them bring various aquatic plant parts, such as tubers, up for their picnics on the ice.

A muskrat is a furry animal about the size of a small house cat, weighing 2 to 3 pounds and always found near water.  The long, shiny guard hairs of its coat are a rich brown, and beneath these is a dense mass of thick fur that is impervious to water.  A long, scaly tail that is flattened on the sides functions as a rudder, and partially webbed hind feet assist in swimming.

Muskrats are found in most parts of the United States and Canada.  They are more active by night than day.  They do not hibernate, but they build houses shaped like miniature beaver lodges up to 4 feet high and 8 feet in diameter in preparation for winter.

These houses are made of cattail, mud and small water plants.  Like beavers, they eat and dig out a chamber inside and an underwater entrance.  Muskrats also burrow into banks and have their homes in tunnels above high water, but the entrance is always below water level.