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Ondatra zibethicus
The muskrat swims low in the water, with its long, almost-hairless tail curling behind. Often, the muskrat can be seen carrying aquatic vegetation as it swims. It's about 20 inches long, including its 9-inch tail. Adults weigh from 2 to 5 pounds. The upper body is reddish brown, while the under parts are grayish brown.
It lives in marshes, ponds, and streams that have many water plants. Several hundred muskrats can live in a single wetland. Although famous for its domed houses of mud and vegetation, it just as often lives in burrows.
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