Canadian wildlife · Drawing 12 of 40
Muskrat
Beside fresh water
The muskrat swims among marsh plants. This small rodent finds food near the water and can build a shelter from the plants around it.
Did you know?
Its long tail is flattened from side to side.
Look together
Is its tail broad like a beaver’s?
An idea to try
Draw a broad, flat tail, then a long, narrow one.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Scientific name: Ondatra zibethicus. Where it lives: Marshes, ponds and slow waterways across much of Canada. What it eats: Mostly aquatic plants; sometimes small animals. Its narrow tail differs from a beaver’s broad paddle. Hairs on its large back feet help it move through the water.
Look together: Is its tail broad like a beaver’s? Draw a broad, flat tail, then a long, narrow one.
Sources and illustration notes (1)
Simplified drawing for colouring. Coat, feather or skin markings are left white so children can choose their colours. Proportions and details are not a scientific identification plate.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.
- Hinterland Who’s Who — MuskratSide-flattened tail, hind-foot hair, aquatic plants and shelters.
Source review: 2026-09-30. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
