Muskrat
MuskratMuskratMuskratMuskrat

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
14 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
April Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's active Active throughout day and night

The muskrat or common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent. Adult muskrats weigh 0.6–2 kg (1+1⁄4–4+1⁄2 lb), with a body length (excluding the tail) of 20–35 cm (8–14 in). They are covered with short, thick fur of medium to dark brown color. Their long tails, covered with scales rather than hair, are laterally compressed and generate a small amount of thrust, with their webbed hind feet being the main means of propulsion and the unique tail mainly important in directional stability. Muskrats spend most of their time in the water and can swim underwater for 12 to 17 minutes. They live in families of a male and female pair and their young. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Muskrat sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 14 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Hispid Cotton Rat
LC

Hispid Cotton Rat

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Sigmodon hispidus

<5% · Rare
White-footed Mouse
LC Endemic

White-footed Mouse

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Peromyscus leucopus

<5% · Rare
Eastern Woodrat
LC Endemic

Eastern Woodrat

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Neotoma floridana

<5% · Rare
Gapperrotelmaus

Gapperrotelmaus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes gapperi

<5% · Rare
🐒 No photo available
LC Endemic

Golden Mouse

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ochrotomys nuttalli

Insufficient data
Rock Vole
LC

Rock Vole

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Microtus chrotorrhinus

Insufficient data
Pine Vole
LC

Pine Vole

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Microtus pinetorum

Insufficient data
Eastern Gray Squirrel
LC

Eastern Gray Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus carolinensis

40–50% · Likely
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

30–40% · Possible
Woodchuck
LC

Woodchuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Marmota monax

20–30% · Possible
Eastern Chipmunk
LC

Eastern Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias striatus

10–20% · With luck
American Beaver
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

10–20% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
<5
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
<5
May
5–10
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️🌙 When They're Spotted

Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)

☀️🌙Day & Night
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
50–60%
2 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
20–30%
3 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
20–30%
4 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
5 Tierra del Fuego National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
10–20%
6 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
7 Grand Teton National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
8 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
9 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
10–20%
10 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
10–20%
11 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
10–20%
12 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
5–10%
13 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
5–10%
14 Denali National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
15 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
16 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
17 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
18 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
5–10%
19 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
20 Nahanni National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
21 Wood Buffalo National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
22 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
23 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
Insufficient data
24 Cape Breton Highlands National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
Insufficient data
25 Badlands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
26 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
27 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
28 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Muskrat in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 6% of wildlife watchers report a Muskrat sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 14 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Muskrat in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Muskrat in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park