Photo by Linda Tanner (Wikimedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nPersonally, my favourite adaptation is the development of their teeth which is actually ahead of their cheeks and lips. Basically, they can close their mouth, yet their teeth are still capable of chewing.\u00a0 Not a bad quality for an animal that likes spending time underwater.\u00a0 Mmmm… I wonder if their parents ever gave them trouble for chewing with their mouth open?<\/p>\n
The final adaptation we will discuss today has to do with their ability to spend up to 15 minutes underwater.\u00a0 Let’s face it, I can only hold my breath for about 30 seconds so I can’t even imagine being able to stay submerged that long.\u00a0 The Muskrat is able to do it by relaxing their muscles, slowing their heart rate and storing oxygen in their muscles.\u00a0 This incredible ability that would even make Michael Phelps jealous allows the Muskrat to escape predators, find food and swim long distances under the ice.<\/p>\n
Muskrat Fast Fact – <\/strong>The name “Muskrat” is derived from two musk glands found near the back-end of this rodent.\u00a0 Although, the pungent odour produced by these glands hasn’t been studied extensively,\u00a0 but scientists believe it helps with communication.\u00a0 Personally, I prefer talking but I suppose creating strong scents could also be effective.<\/p>\nThat does it for our Muskrat Monday.\u00a0 Enjoy the rest of your day folks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Here we are again at the beginning of another thrilling week of Wild Facts.\u00a0 Although it is a shorter work week, there will be no interruption in animal facts on Friday (or next Monday).\u00a0 To start this beautiful week off, we are going to learn about an animal that I am very familiar with.\u00a0 Growing up on a lake in Northern Ontario provided me plenty of opportunities to view an aquatic rodent called a Muskrat.\u00a0 This aquatic animal from my childhood memories is native to North America but they have also been introduced into Europe, Asia and South America, so <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[60,4024],"tags":[348,1813,1814,4025,993,309,1815],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.wild-facts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Muskrat_Foraging.jpg\" "\\"Muskrat_Foraging\\"")
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