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Gliding through the water in my kayak I
heard little sounds like baby puppies. It seemed to be coming from
an old stump at the side of the marsh. I paddled as quietly as I could
and was surprised to see a furry animal staring at me with beady
little eyes. Looking closer I saw three pairs of small ears
peaking from the coarse brown fur. I backed my kayak away from the stump
and continued to observe a mother Muskrat and her babies from a distance.
Most people only know about muskrats from an
old pop song from the 70s called "Muskrat Love" by Captain &
Tennille. The Muskrat is an aquatic rodent that lives in marshes, quiet streams and ponds. It
resembles a large house rat and can be from 10 to 14 inches
long plus an 8 to 10 inch tail. Their large buck teeth plus their
furry body make them look like beavers, but their tails are long and
skinny.
Muskrat burrows are constructed above water
level and are connected to an underwater entrance by a tunnel; huts
are built with an underwater opening. Muskrats do not build dams or
fell trees as do beavers. They swim by paddling with the hind feet,
using the tail as a rudder. They feed on vegetation and aquatic
animals.
These photos were taken at Beaver Creek near
Newport, Oregon.
Linda Gast
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