Muskrat
Last Update/Review: June 3, 2002
Ondatra zibethicus
The
muskrat is the largest member of the rat and mouse family (Cricetidae)
in North America. Adults weigh about 1.5 kilograms. Like the beaver,
the muskrat is adapted to an aquatic way of life, and is an important
and valuable furbearer. Its dense, waterproof, chestnut to dark-brown
fur has been the mainstay of many trapline incomes. Unlike the beaver,
the tail of the muskrat is narrow and flattened laterally. It is used
as a rudder when the muskrat is swimming.
The muskrat has short legs, and small forefeet that are used for grasping objects, and large, partially webbed, hind feet that are used for swimming.
Muskrats spend much of their life in water. They live in family groups, each group occupying a portion of a pond containing a house, feeding areas, and canals through cattails and other pond vegetation. Each family defends its portion of the pond from other muskrats.
Mating may occur several times during the period from March to September. Litters of three to seven kits are born about a month after mating. Kits are weaned in about a month and are expelled from the home lodge to fend for themselves. Young are able to breed the following year.
Muskrats eat pond weeds and emergent vegetation. They also eat a variety of animals, including freshwater mussels, frogs, salamanders and small fish. Muskrats are found in all life zones in the province except the alpine.
Trapping
In 2000-2001, Alberta trappers produced 13 464 muskrat pelts at a mean price of $2.97 per pelt, or a total production for the province of $39 988.
Muskrats are trapped from early October to late April, depending on the region. Muskrat pelts are in their prime from mid-February until early April.
