Muskrat Tracks in Snow. Finding tracks in the snow is an exciting pastime when you are winter camping in Ontario. Animals leave many fresh tracks around camp day and night. One of the animals that leaves tracks around camp is the Muskrat.
The muskrat is a semi aquatic rodent that can be confused for a rat. Its infamous for its bad smell and quick maneuverability. It is a North American native and can be primarily found in wetlands in a wide range of climates and varying habitats.
The muskrat can be easily confused with a beaver. The key difference in trying to tell apart a beaver from a muskrat is the tail and the overall size of the animal. The beaver has a fat wide tail whereas the muskrat has a thin and long tail. An adult muskrat can weigh up to 2 kg whereas an adult beaver can weigh as much as 25 kg .
The small size and tail shape of the muskrat is the reason that it can be confused with the common rat.
If you are in the snow-covered woods however there are easy ways to identify muskrat tracks. You want to be looking for animal tracks around elevated twig mounts that resemble rabbit tracks but also have a line between them. The line is made from the dragging tail of the muskrat. The tail line is the key way to identify muskrat trails in the snow.