Photos by DON BARTLING
Muskrats are excellent swimmers and can evade many predators by escaping into water or into their burrows.
September 21, 2017
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September 21, 2017 1 a.m.
MUSKRATS: Rodents that are excellent swimmers
On a cloudy morning beside a grassy canal on the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge parallel to the Kootenai River I observed a muskrat busily swimming and inspecting the vegetation. In spite of the fact he noticed me I managed to get a few photos before he silently disappeared under the water. Although primarily nocturnal, this squeaky-voiced rodent tends to be a sociable animal and sometimes active by day.