Common muskrat Ondatra zibethicus
While at first glance, muskrats resemble beavers kits, their long, scaly tail is a sure distinguishing characteristic. Muskrats weigh 1.3-4 pounds (Virginia DWR), less than a tenth of a full-grown beaver!
Portrait of a mother muskrat
A juvenile muskrat stands in the water outside of its den on the North Fork of the Shenandoah
A juvenile muskrat clings to its grooming mother
A mother muskrat returns with forage for the kits
Portrait of a common muskrat on the Shenandoah
Profile view of a common muskrat on the Shenandoah
Muskrat grooming session on the banks of the Shenandoah
A bedraggled muskrat reflected in the river water
A muskrat reaches for forage below along the banks of the Shenandoah, North Fork
Juvenile muskrat feeding session
Juvenile muskrats emerge from the river to feed, revealing their long, scaly, tails
The orange incisors of a juvenile muskrat
Profile of a juvenile muskrat
