Northern France: Coypu or Muskrat (1 Viewer)

Isurus

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2011

• #1

Staying in brittany for the weekend (near Dol-de-Bretagne) I was somewhat surprised to see a very big aquatic rodent moving along the margins of the small lake by our cottage.

First thought was coypu but I've a) never seen muskrat and b) don't know which of the two is more likely. Based solely on location can anyone offer thoughts as to which was more likely?

 

lashinala

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2011

• #2

Was the swimming a 'snake-like' back and forth motion or a constant 'dogpaddling'?

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2011

• #3

What was the size? Adult coypus are much larger than muskrats which weigh about the same as tree squirrels.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/1519745589/in/set-72157602329473997

 

Last edited: Jun 7, 2011

Isurus

Well-known member

• Jun 7, 2011

• #4

lashinala said:

Was the swimming a 'snake-like' back and forth motion or a constant 'dogpaddling'?

Click to expand...

alas it was just a sort of shuffling hopping walk - pond was drying up.

fugl said:

What was the size? Adult coypus are much larger than muskrats which weigh about the same as tree squirrels.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fugl/1519745589/in/set-72157602329473997

Click to expand...

I'd have said it was pretty bulky and probably closer to 3 foot overall than 2 which sounds like it points to coypu.

 

Xenospiza

Distracted

• Jun 7, 2011

• #5

You'd never call a Muskrat "very big" (I would describe them as about Guineapig-sized), so Coypu sounds right.
Coypus have a curious "rectangular head", whereas Muskrats are more like very large voles.

 

lashinala

Well-known member

• Jun 8, 2011

• #6

Yep, sounds like coypus...or a 'very lost' groundhog.