Canadian wildlife · Drawing 12 of 41
Muskrat
Beside fresh water
The muskrat swims among marsh plants. It eats mostly water plants and can build a hut out of cattails.
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.
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. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Hinterland Who’s Who — MuskratSide-flattened tail, hind-foot hair, aquatic plants and shelters.
Page prepared on September 30, 2026. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
This drawing is from the book Canadian Wildlife to Colour
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