8 NEBRASKAland • MARCH 2017
A Mammal Brief
By Lindsay Rogers
At about 20-25 inches long, the
muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is
significantly smaller than the
beaver, which comes in at
about 40-45 inches. The
muskrat also has a narrow,
flat tail, versus the beaver's
characteristically wide, flat
tail. Both, however, are
found near water, including
rivers, lakes, streams and
wetlands, though muskrats
prefer more permanent
bodies of water.
Muskrats are so named
for their resemblance to
a large rat and the musky
odor released from their perineal glands, which is used for
communication between muskrats and to warn predators.
In contrast to muskrats' slow and cumbersome movement on land, they are extremely agile swimmers and
often retreat to the water to escape predators. Minks, owls and coyotes are no match for a muskrat's ability to
quickly disappear underwater and remain there for more than 10 minutes. ■
Lindsay Rogers is an outdoor
education specialist with the
Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission.
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8 NEBRASKAland • MARC
