Muskrat: An American rodent has conquered all of Eurasia in 100 years. What trump cards does he use? (8 photos)

- And who was this greyhound who dug up our bank and built huts? Do you have a building permit?

“Don’t awaken the beast in me, spadetail!”

- I'm not afraid of hamsters!

- It would be worth it!

If animals could talk, then the dialogue between a beaver and a muskrat that came in large numbers from the New World would look something like this.





The muskrat (right) goes to the arrow with the beaver.

At the beginning of the 20th century, European gentlemen decided to bring North American animals to the Old World. They knew that a muskrat is not only a kilo and a half of impudence and dietary meat, but also valuable fur. The latter was the reason for the forced emigration; the two-legged bald monkeys needed fashionable fur coats. But the fashion for natural furs has gone, but muskrats have remained.



The muskrat is a vegetarian, everything is simple for her: if you didn’t think to escape, then you are a vegetable.

And not a century had passed before the smell of the beaver stream was overwhelmed by the persistent stench of the marks of the musk rat. Both the inhabitants of Spain and the inhabitants of the Far East are well acquainted with the animal. Although the beaver does not complain about its numbers, it is far from its unexpected neighbor. How did an animal that lives only 3 years pull off such a trick?





If you open the photo in full size, you will see droplets of water sliding across the skin. Waterproof!

The muskrat, the largest hamster on the planet, has two trump cards hidden under its waterproof fur. The first of them is specific housing preferences. Rodents settle near ice-free shallow water bodies; they are especially fond of rivers and canals, the ancestral domain of beavers. In most cases, animals build underground shelters. The entrance to the hole, a place of rest and safe growing up, is hidden under water. Immediately behind it there is a system of underwater tunnels and air chambers; it can stretch for tens of meters.



Digging with such a manicure is a pleasure!

When the terrain does not allow for a reliable shelter, animals build huts. These shacks are much inferior to the solid buildings of the beavers. In essence, it is just a ball of aquatic plant stems well coated with mud. But even in such a structure, the temperature in winter does not drop below 0°.



Foreign invaders do not experience any problems with housing, so they allow themselves to multiply at incredible speed. Over the course of a year, depending on the region of residence, the mother muskrat releases into this world from two to five batches of cubs, 8-10 in each. Babies grow by leaps and bounds: 10 days after birth they can swim, and they switch to plant foods at the age of 3 weeks. All this time, responsible dads remain nearby: until the babies start teething, the nursing mother’s nutrition lies in a strong field. Young people will move out of their parents' apartment en masse in the spring and go in search of their homes and soul mates.



With such a survival strategy, it is not entirely clear why they have not yet monopolized all the water bodies of Eurasia. The answer is simple: muskrats have a disgusting character. They hate strangers, and do not mind snacking on their own children in a hungry year. So not everyone can live to see the spring release, which was mentioned earlier. In addition, a planned population decline occurs every 6-10 years. Scientists have not yet figured out how it works, so they take it for granted.



The animal also gets it from predators. All and sundry hunt for the beast - feathered, tailed, and aquatic predators. Minks are especially fond of the invader; fast and nimble predators easily penetrate underwater dwellings and chase hamsters on land. People also contribute, even if it is not very large, because their wool is not in demand.



Father teaches son to eat. The wildlife is amazing.

What does this story teach us? The stinky American hamster is a natural rogue among rodents: arrogant and aggressive. So if you suddenly see where, go around a large radius. You don’t want a fight with a potential carrier of paratyphoid and other infections, do you?