General Information: Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are large rodents of marshes, ponds, and slow-moving water that could be confused with a small beaver. Muskrats are brown overall and have a long, scaly tail. The tail appears round, not broad and flat like a beaver, but actually it is laterally flattened, and muskrats swish the tail back and forth to aid in swimming.

Muskrats primarily are nocturnal, but they can be day-active. They construct houses similar to a small beaver lodge and dig dens into the stream- or pond-side banks with an underwater opening but above-water living chamber.

Muskrat pups grow up quickly and are one their own by 4 weeks.

Taxonomy: Class Mammalia, Order Rodentia, Family Cricetidae, Subfamily Arvicolinae

Where to Find: Muskrat can be found in virtually any water body around Las Vegas that has cattails and reeds along the shoreline. For example, they can be found at Pahranagat NWR, Moapa Valley NWR, and the Clark County Wetlands Park.