A few years ago there was a muskrat boom at the Grand Kankakee Marsh. The living was easy for the little critters; full of cattails and aquatics to eat. There were lodges everywhere in the marsh.
One day, towards the end of winter, I came across this family taking part in the mid-day warmth of the sun. The smallest members of the family were heavily guarded up on top of the hut, while older members swam around, grabbed some weeds, and had a nibble.
At one point one of the babies on the hut got too comfortable sleeping and rolled off. What a commotion it caused as the older ones rushed to the rescue and got the baby back up to safety!
This year's lodge population is still low; nothing compared to the year the photo was taken. The boom apparently created a food shortage; the cattails still haven't recovered. Hopefully, when they do, there will be other opportunities to view these fun creatures.
No comments:
Post a Comment