# Muskrat

*Ondatra zibethicus*

Muskrats can close their lips behind their front teeth, allowing them to gnaw on aquatic plants underwater without drowning.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Rodentia › Cricetidae › Ondatra
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** wetland
- **Habitat:** Freshwater and brackish marshes, lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams with sufficient water depth.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous, but primarily feeds on aquatic vegetation such as cattails, water lilies, and pondweed; occasionally consumes mussels, crayfish, and small fish.
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia
- **Size:** 40-70 cm in length including tail; weight ranges from 0.6 to 2 kg.
- **Lifespan:** 1-3 years
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Loss of wetland habitat, water pollution, and predation by mink, coyotes, and large birds of prey.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless if observed from a distance. Do not corner or attempt to handle, as they are defensive and can deliver a painful bite. If bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and consult a medical professional immediately.

## About

The muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ), the only species in genus Ondatra and tribe Ondatrini , is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and is an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitats. It has important effects on the ecology of wetlands, and is a resource of food and fur for humans.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/a727d1f9-c604-4ded-ad39-379bd28c65cb
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/45763
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ondatra zibethicus
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/27994600/medium.jpg (Owen Strickland, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.