The muskrat is a common, semi-aquatic rodent native to North America. They are excellent swimmers that feed on the grasses, cattails, and vegetation in their watery environment. Muskrats are related and their habits are similar to the beaver; however, muskrats are much smaller than beavers and they have different kinds of teeth and tails. Muskrats are animals more closely related to other rodents such as voles, mice, rats, and gerbils. Their back feet are slightly webbed for paddling and their tails are narrow and flattened vertically and help steer them in the water. Their short, thick dark brown fur can trap air which helps with insulation and buoyancy. Also, if necessary, muskrats can stay underwater for 12-17 minutes.

Muskrats generally inhabit wetlands with an abundant supply of aquatic vegetation, such as swamps, coastal and freshwater marshes, lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams. They feed primarily on aquatic plants, including cattails, sedges, water lilies, arrowheads, and duckweeds. Occasionally, they will eat crayfish, snails, mussels, frogs, insects, and slow-moving fish. They also dig burrows near the water’s edge for shelter, and their burrowing sometimes weakens earthen dams and dikes.