A couple of years ago, while photographing wildlife along the Lower Salt River, I caught a quick glimpse of an animal swimming across the water. It looked a little like a beaver, but smaller. Before I could get a better look, it disappeared. I suspected it was a muskrat.
This week, I finally got another chance.
One morning I spotted a muskrat swimming quietly along the riverbank before it slipped back underwater. Later, I discovered what I believe is its den beneath the roots of an old, cut-off tree along the bank. That was enough to keep me coming back.
Over the next several days I visited the river repeatedly – before sunrise and even in the evening when temperatures still reached 111°F (46°C) – hoping for another brief appearance. Patience paid off, and I was rewarded with a few more encounters and, of course, a few photographs.
Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) are often mistaken for small beavers, but they are actually the largest members of the vole family. They are well adapted to life in the water, with dense, nearly waterproof fur, partially webbed hind feet, and a flattened tail that acts as a rudder while swimming. They feed mainly on cattails, grasses, bulrushes, and other aquatic plants, and spend much of their time in or near the water.
Although muskrats are found in wetlands throughout much of North America, they are surprisingly easy to miss. They disappear quickly when they sense danger and are prey for coyotes, foxes, large owls, mink, snapping turtles, and other predators.
The Lower Salt River is best known for its wild horses, but it is always worth looking a little closer. Sometimes the animals that leave the biggest impression are the ones that most people never even notice.
