Photo by Dennis Deck
Photo by Dennis Deck
Who is this little creature? [ View Answer ]
This muskrat hauled out of the water in a quiet stretch of the Sandy River in Oxbow Park
one morning in April. At first the tracks seemed out of place on a fast moving stream like
the Sandy but this wasn't the first time I had seen evidence of this aquatic mammal.
On a visit to the park the previous fall, I saw cut reeds in the water downstream of this
spot but was assured by a local naturalist that muskrat were not found in the park.
However, on other visits to the area I found further evidence of muskrat and one day in
July I was able to observe a muskrat upstream of this location, swimming along the bank.
Although muskrat are more typically seen around cattail marshes and lakes, apparently they can
live in fairly swift moving water. With a bit of research I have found other references to muskrats
living in moving water.
Answer
The front foot has 4 toes. A close look at the hind track reveals 5 toes (though the first is
faint and offset to the inside). That pattern identifies this animal as a member of the rodent order.
The size of the track eliminates squirrels and anything smaller. The proximity to water is
another important clue but this is much smaller than a beaver. 
For Oregonians in the Portland area, the cattail pond at Fernhill wetlands (south of the Forest Grove
sewage plant) is an excellent place to observe muskrat at work and play.