The second of our “First Four” matches for March Species Madness pits two great swimming mammal species against each other. The River Otter (Lontra canadensis) faces off against the Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). The winner goes on to face the Red Squirrel in the preliminary round on March 3rd.
The muskrat is found in wetlands across North America. Its fur made it an important resource for humans, which led to the creatures being introduced into parts of Europe, South America and Asia. The fur protects the muskrat from the cold waters of its habitat, and its long tails (covered with scales rather than fur) aid in swimming. They’re experts at holding their breaths and can swim underwater for up to 17 minutes! They can have tremendous impact on local vegetation, although they have a preference for particular plant species and so inadvertently determine which plant species flourish in the wetlands in which they live. To find out more about the muskrat, check out its entry in Hinterland Who’s Who.
Ranged against the muskrat is the North American river otter, found in the waterways across most of Canada and in the northeastern United States. These members of the weasel family have tremendous PR, as there’s no shortage of cute videos of these creatures on the Internet. But don’t let their cuteness fool you: these are hunters. They mostly eat fish, but can also eat fruits, small reptiles, amphibians, moulting ducks, aquatic insects, small mammals and mollusks. These are social creatures, staying in groups, and appear to have a great sense of play. They are sensitive to pollution, however, and steps had to be taken to restore many of their habitats starting in the 70s, with some US states reintroducing these creatures after they became extinct. They are now considered a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List. To learn more about the river otter, check out its entry in the National Wildlife Federation website.
So, who goes forward into March Species Madness? Will the playful river otter glide through to victory? Or will the muskrat show its grit and overcome its charismatic opponent? Only you can decide the winner with your votes, so vote now.