Muskrat

Muskrat – Nomenclature and Classification

The muskrat is biologically known as the Ondatra zibethicus. The following is its biological classification:
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Chordata
Class – Mammalia
Order – Rodentia
Suborder – Myomorpha
Family – Cricetidae
Subfamily – Arvicolinae
Tribe – Ondatrini
Genus – Ondatra
Species – Ondatra zibethicus

Muskrat – Natural Habitat

The muskrat can be classed as an amphibious creature. It can spend up to fifteen minutes on an average under water. Their general habitat is near marshy and swampy areas. The prefer areas where there is no drastic change of water level through the year. They make their own residences in burrows.

Geographically, the muskrats are found extensively in the temperate areas of North American continent, but they have been introduced into the Eurasian region, where their populations have grown commendably too.

Muskrat – General Morphology and Vital Stats

Muskrats are about 16 to 24 inches in length and weight about 800-1700 grams, 1200 grams being the average weight. Their bodies are large compared to other rodents, and they have a very significant round tail length which could be three-quarters of the length of their entire body. They have comparatively larger heads too, but their small ears are a fundamental identifying feature in them. Their torso is much too big for their legs. Only their hind legs are webbed, which is an adaptation for their aquatic life.

Muskrat is a furry rodent. The color of the fur is a shade of brown. The dorsal side of the body has darker fur than the ventral side. The fur on the underbelly also shows seasonal changes – it becomes paler as the warmer season approaches and darkens in the cold season. The fur covers their entire body, except the tail which has scales instead.

Muskrat – Breeding Patterns

Muskrats in the southern areas of the world (warmer climate) can mate throughout the year, but those in the colder areas have a breeding propensity only for the warmer summer months. Both males and females gain sexual maturity at seven months to a year. They can produce litters of six to eight young ones after a gestation period of approximately four weeks. The litter weans in three to four weeks.

Muskrats can reproduce with a very increased rate (the female can produce two to three litters in a year), and that is the reason why their population is high both in the natural habitats as well as the parts of the world in which they are introduced.

Muskrat – Longevity

In the wild, it is quite uncommon for a muskrat to survive for more than three years, primarily because it has to fend for its own food. However, in captivity under good conditions, they can survive even up to ten years.

Muskrat – General Information

Muskrats are named so because of special scent glands (musk) that they have on their bodies. They emanate this scent when they need to communicate, mate or to ward off intruders in their territory.

Muskrats are omnivores to an extent, but they have preferences of feeding on plant food. They are primarily herbivores, but in cases of paucity of herbivorous food, they can predate on animals too. They also eat plants in aquatic areas, and can cause damage to crops. Animals that can predate on the muskrat are alligators, barn owls, cottonmouths, coyotes, harriers, otters and raccoons.

Muskrat – Economic Significance

Muskrats have both positive as well as negative impacts on humans. Negatively, they can ravage agricultural crops. But their fur and meat has commercial significance for humans.