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The Beaver's Little Brother |
| Section: NATURAL SCIENCE / NATURE WALK |
| Author: Dwight G. Smith |
| Publication: The world & I online |
| Issue Date: 9/1/2003 |
| Size: 1,378 Words, 8,441 Characters |
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Long ago, before humans appeared, there was a flood that completely covered the earth. The few surviving animals held on to a log and took turns diving down, attempting to bring up some soil to create a new piece of land on which to live. When the muskrat's turn came, he stayed down for a long time, finally emerging with a tiny ball of dirt in his paws. The animals patted the dirt onto a turtle's back, from where it grew into the world. Although that was a long time ago, the muskrat still builds a ball-shaped house of earth in remembrance of the great flood and the part he played in re-creating the world of life.
--Ojibwa creation legend
As illustrated by this folklore, Native Americans generally held the muskrat in high regard. The Sioux believed it possessed magical powers. The C...
. . .
...canal banks. In addition, they raid farm crops near their habitat.
On the whole, however, muskrats are valuable members of wetland communities. They help establish and maintain natural landscapes, keeping waterways clear of weedy vegetation and providing food for their predators. Not to mention, of course, the excitement they offer wildlife enthusiasts who love to track their daily rambles.
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