Muskrat
MuskratMuskratMuskratMuskrat

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Wadden Sea National Park
93 Verified records at Wadden Sea 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 Wadden Sea National Park, based on 93 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Bank Vole

Bank Vole

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes glareolus

<5% · Rare
Common Vole
LC

Common Vole

Mammal

Microtus arvalis

<5% · Rare
European Water Vole
LC

European Water Vole

Mammal

Arvicola amphibius

Insufficient data
Field Vole
LC

Field Vole

Mammal

Microtus agrestis

Insufficient data
Eurasian Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

Eurasian Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus vulgaris

10–20% · With luck
Coypu
LC

Coypu

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Myocastor coypus

10–20% · With luck
Eurasian Beaver
LC

Eurasian Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor fiber

5–10% · Rare
European Wood Mouse
LC

European Wood Mouse

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Apodemus sylvaticus

<5% · Rare
Eurasian Harvest Mouse
LC

Eurasian Harvest Mouse

Mammal

Micromys minutus

<5% · Rare
Yellow-necked Field Mouse
LC

Yellow-necked Field Mouse

Mammal

Apodemus flavicollis

<5% · Rare
Striped Field Mouse
LC Endemic

Striped Field Mouse

Mammal

Apodemus agrarius

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
<5
Feb
10–20
Mar
10–20
Apr
5–10
May
5–10
Jun
10–20
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Wadden Sea National Park?

About 8% of wildlife watchers report a Muskrat sighting in Wadden Sea National Park, based on 93 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Muskrat in Wadden Sea National Park?

April has the highest sighting rate for Muskrat in Wadden Sea National Park in our monthly data.

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