Nurturing Natives- Muskrat

Muskrats, often confused with beavers, use their thin tail as a rudder to propel themselves through water up to 3 miles an hour! They’re found all throughout Michigan, and are named after their musky smell. Interestingly, these mammals can hold their breaths up to 20 minutes as they search for mollusks, crayfish, and aquatic plants below water. They also use long claws to dig burrows into riverbanks— often through underwater entrances!