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Project Noah Nature School
Ondatra zibethicus
Spotted on Jun 23, 2013
Submitted on Jun 25, 2013
3 Comments
Beavers are bigger. Plus the size of the beaver when swimming only the head and shoulders would be showing. The Muskrat is smaller and lighter and you can see the whole body. You would (as seen in the image) the skinny long tail. Also I saw a carcass of one near the Great Horned Owls nest. That a Fox or Coyote must have grabbed.
Maybe in some areas but not here in California. They would be a rare sighting since most have been iradicated in 1978 and the DFW and the USGS have been keeping check any.
tough to differentiate bet nutria and musk rat. Could be confused for beaver too!