They may Beaver tails are wide, flat and paddle-shaped, while muskrats have long, skinny tails with flat sides. I would make a wild guess that it was two to three feet long. The beaver has an easily recognizable flat tail. Random seasonal commercial trapping was unable to decrease the nutria population in these areas, necessitating implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project in 2002 with the goal to eradicate nutria. The most obvious difference between a muskrat and a nutria is size. I think you're right, the Beaver head looks more rounded. Movement - Another key to beaver vs. muskrat identification is the way they travel in water. The nutria (Myocastor coypus) is a large, dark-colored, semiaquatic rodent that is native to southern South America.At first glance, a casual observer may misidentify a nutria as either a beaver (Castor canadensis) or a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), especially when it is swimming.This superficial resemblance ends when a more detailed study of the animal is made. Muskrat. The river otter and the nutria, also known as the coypu, can occupy the same sort of habitat but they are very different animals, contrasting in almost every aspect of their behavior and physiology. Feet – Both pests have webbing between their toes, but these webs are thinner and less noticeable on muskrat paws. How to Draw Animals: Big Rodents and Their Anatomy by Monika ... Today we'll get to know the capybara, beaver, porcupine, nutria, groundhog, and muskrat—they're all rodents, so we can use the knowledge we already have to enhance our animal base by six new, interesting species! I cam across this when researching the differences between a nutria and muskrat. River Otter vs. Nutria By Judith Willson. Beaver, Nutria and Muskrats Dale A. All three species are semi- aquatic rodents that utilize similar habitat and are some- what similar in general habits and appearance. When swimming, only a beaver's head is visible. Beaver, Muskrat and Nutria Identification. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums. Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. It's also a species of management concern for some landowners. Muskrat or Nutria? Nutria look similar to muskrats (except larger: 15-20 pounds vs. 2-3 pounds for muskrats). Muskrat vs. Beaver Problems In reply to Bobby49 • May 29, 2016 South America, well mainly ... but … Nutria look similar to muskrats (except larger: 15-20 pounds vs. 2-3 pounds for muskrats). Either animal may also make a … Each can easily be identified in hand, but it can be Also this article is from Harrisburg PA and it is wayyyy to early for that region to have young beaver.