Muskrat
páptic
muskrat, sp. Ondatra zibethicus
Did you know that...
“Muskrats begin building pushups by chewing holes through the fresh ice. After an opening is created, lake vegetation and mud are gathered and used to make a rather pointed and tent-like structure that can be several feet high. These pushups may look like miniature muskrat lodges, but they are not homes. They are simply sheltered feeding stations and rest stops, used for underwater forays as they forage for submerged vegetation under the ice. In human terms, the pushups serve as reserved picnic shelters. Unlike the pushups, their lodges are almost always circular and dome-like. They are dry, cozy places that are lined with grasses and provide room to sleep and eat.”
