10 May 2025

Muskrat in Action

This morning I visited Closter Nature Center in Closter, New Jersey, for some birding.  There’s a series of artificially dug canals next to the main road, providing excellent wetland habitat. I chanced upon a Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) on the bank of a canal, diligently gathering leaves to line its nest. Unafraid and undisturbed, I was able to snap lots of photos. With a mouthful of leaves ready, it leapt into the canal and swam around, a bit before vanishing into the murky depths, finding the underwater entrance to its nest.

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RatioTile
I am a naturalist who collects lifers from all animal taxa – mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates – they all matter to me. Similarly, I count lifer species regardless of whether I saw them wild or captive; my main goal is to photograph them alive, and I’ve photographed over 9,000 animal species this way. My trips are primarily centered around zoos, aquariums, and other captive collections, of which I have visited over 135 thus far. 
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