While paddling the headwaters of Ayers Creek this spring, we were frequently treated to a glimpse of the cute and furry muskrat swimming by with face, nose, and whiskers held high.   

Muskrats are strong swimmers and can swim underwater for as long as 15 minutes.  They swim by paddling with their semi-webbed hind feet and using their slightly flattened tail as a rudder.   

The common muskrat is found in marshes, quiet streams, and ponds through most of North America. They have an outer coat of shiny brown fur with a warm dense undercoat. They are 10 to 14 inches long with an additional 8 - 10 inches of tail.   

Muskrats may live in a burrow in a steep bank or a reed hut built in marshy shallows. Muskrat burrows are constructed above water level and are connected to an underwater entrance by a tunnel and huts are built with an underwater opening.   

Muskrats are most active at night or near dawn and dusk feeding mostly on aquatic vegetation. The muskrat may also eat small fish, frogs, and turtles.   

Join us for a paddle this summer and see if you can spot one of our furry friends.