Ondatra zibethicus
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
Ondatra zibethicus (Link, 1795) - (muskrat)
This rodent is native to North America and has been deliberately introduced into Europe for its fur in 1905. It is semi-aquatic and now widely distributed across Europe and northern Asia. The animals burrow into river banks, dykes and dams, causing considerable destruction. In the EU it is classified as invasive and member countries are required to control it. However, it some countries like Sweden or Finland, populations have declined naturally for unknown reasons. In other countries like the Netherlands or Germany, it is controlled by trapping (Bos et al., 2019).
| Vernacular names | |
|---|---|
| • Deutsch: | Bisamratte |
| • English: | muskrat |
| • Français: | rat musqué |
An adult rat has a body length of around 35 cm and a tail of about 20 cm. The colour of the fur ranges from black to brown. It feeds mainly on plants growing in or near the water. Populations can increase quickly and a female has on average 3 litters per year with a size of 6 young each.
