Russian muskrat information. Russian muskrat or khokhulya (lat.

The muskrat is a small semi-aquatic mammal. Divided into two types: Russian muskrat and Pyrenean. The first one is much larger. It lives in the basins of rivers such as the Don, Dnieper, and Volga. Found on Southern Urals and in Northern Kazakhstan. The second lives near the Pyrenees - this is the border between Spain and France. It also lives in the northern mountainous regions of Portugal. Gravitates towards mountain rivers and lakes.

These animals belong to the relict species. That is, they represent distant ancestors accidentally preserved in modern world. Therefore, they live in a very limited range and are biological taxa or endemics. But let’s leave the tricky terms to the scientists and consider appearance animals.

Appearance of the Russian desman

This animal is quite large. Its weight is 400-520 grams. The body length ranges from 18 to 21 cm. The tail reaches 17-20 cm. On top it is protected by horny scales, and along the sides, along the entire length, stripes of coarse hair stretch. Initially, the tail is thickened, and then compresses from the sides. At the bottom of the thickening there are special glands. They secrete an oily liquid with a specific odor - musk.

The nose has an elongated shape and is equipped with special valves. They close their nostrils when the animal dives into water. The vibrissae are long and very sensitive. Limbs are short. The hind legs are much larger than the front legs. There are membranes. They cover the fingers all the way to the claws. The claws are long and almost straight. Very coarse hair grows thickly along the edges of the paws. They increase the area of contact with water.

The muskrat boasts thick and very practical fur. The fur on the back and sides is dark brown or dark gray. The lower part of the muzzle, neck and belly are much lighter. Light gray and off-white shades predominate here. It is noteworthy that the fur retains air well, and therefore warms the animal when negative temperatures environment. The animal sees almost nothing, but it has an excellent sense of smell and touch.

Reproduction and lifespan

Mating season For the inhabitants of Russian open spaces, it takes place twice a year - in spring and autumn. Males start fights for the possession of females. Having become pregnant, expectant mother digs a hole in the ground with access to water. The bottom is lined with algae, which it collects in the reservoir. Pregnancy lasts about 2 months. Usually 2-5 cubs are born. They are absolutely helpless and tiny. Their weight does not exceed 3 grams. Both parents feed their offspring.

Babies grow very quickly. Already a month after birth, they begin to eat adult food, and after 4 months they become completely independent and begin adult life. Young females begin fertilization in the next season. In the wild, the Russian muskrat lives from 4 to 5 years.

Behavior

The animal loves medium-sized bodies of water with standing water and a depth of no more than 5 meters. It is desirable that the banks be steep and there should be a floodplain forest nearby. It cannot be said that these mammals gravitate towards loneliness. They unite in small groups of 3-5 animals without family ties. They have their own social system, but it has been poorly studied.

The group lives, as a rule, in the same hole with access to the water. But each member of a small team has several more personal holes. Animals get from one hole to another by moving underwater. But they do not swim in the water column. Special trenches are made in the muddy bottom, along which movement is carried out. The trenches are deep - the entire thickness of the silt.

The Russian desman can stay under water for 3-5 minutes. Therefore, the distances between burrows usually do not exceed 20-25 meters. Throughout its movement, the animal feeds on various mollusks. They themselves pull themselves up to the trench. They are attracted by the smell of musk, which is released from the tail in small doses. That is, the mammal simply eats every little thing without making any effort to find it. This animal is very voracious. He eats the same amount of food per day as he weighs. Therefore, it takes a long time to swim in the trenches.

At the same time, air bubbles are released from the lungs. IN winter period When the surface of a reservoir is covered with ice, bubbles freeze into its lower surface, and voids form in it. In such places, during spring floods, the ice breaks first, and animals emerge to the surface. This saves them from certain death, because these mammals can survive without air for no more than 5-7 minutes.

Number of Russian desman

In the old days, practical animal fur was in high commercial demand. Therefore, it was exterminated until its numbers became insignificant. Then people came to their senses and protected the poor animal with laws. By the mid-70s of the last century, the size of this population reached about 70 thousand individuals. It remained at the same level until the 90s, and then began to fall again.

The last time the animals were counted was in 2004. There were about 35 thousand of them. To date, the exact number of Russian muskrats is unknown. But according to some data, the number has increased slightly. At least in nature this type exists, but what will happen to it next is shrouded in darkness.

The length of this species reaches 12-17 cm. The tail corresponds to the length of the body. Weight ranges from 50 to 80 grams. The lifespan of the animal is 3-4 years. The tail is not compressed laterally, but has a round shape. The coat color is lighter than that of its Russian counterpart. The limbs are dark—sometimes almost black.

The Pyrenean muskrat feeds on mollusks and a variety of insects. It obtains food not only in water, but also on land. Hunting time occurs at night. The female gives birth to 2-5 cubs. The mating season occurs 2-3 times a year. The animals live in pairs. The number of the species reaches 15 thousand individuals. Maintains a stable level.

The muskrat, or khokhulya, represents relict species animals living mainly in Russia. Since 1986, the Russian muskrat has been included in the Red Book. The muskrat is a contemporary of the mammoth, one might say, a relict animal, an endemic. In ancient times, it lived virtually throughout Europe, but now its natural range is limited to the basins of the Dnieper, Don, Volga, and Ural. It is found in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Lithuania, and less often in Belarus.

The animal is closely related to the mole. For its ability to swim miraculously and dig excessively long underground holes, it is sometimes called the water mole. The animal appears on land very rarely. It has a rather unusual appearance; its webbed clawed feet and elongated face attract attention. Body 19-22 cm, tail approximately the same, weight 510 g.

Picture - Muskrat, crested shrew.

The entire tail is covered with horny scales, and on top there are bristly hairs that create a keel. At the base the tail has the smallest diameter. At the beginning of the tail there is a pear-shaped thickening, where specific (odorous, musky) glands are located; oily musk comes out through many holes located in the thickenings below. After thickening, the tail narrows strongly on both sides. The nose is an elongated trunk. Vibrissae excessively long; there are many sensitive hairs on the body.

Photo. Muskrat, crested shrew, shrew - after swimming.

It has short 5-toed limbs, the hind feet are larger than the front ones. The fingers are connected by a swimming membrane. The claws are oblong, slightly curved. A border of elastic hair runs from the edge of the paws, lengthening the swimming surface.

And in this photo, admire how we swim.

The fur covering of the muskrat is thick, velvety, durable, the hairs expand towards the top. Teeth - 44. Muskrats are almost blind. But they have an excellent sense of smell and touch.

The breeding season begins in the spring. The rut occurs against the backdrop of male fights. Pregnancy lasts 45-50 days, after which 1 or 5 babies appear, blind and naked, weighing 2-3.3 g, which is half the size of a newborn rat. A nest is made from wet algae in a pond in a nesting chamber. Two offspring per year (end of May - June, November - December). At one month, babies are fed adult food and become completely independent at 5 months.

The Russian muskrat or khokhulya is an animal from the Red Book: description, photos, pictures and videos, what the muskrat shrew looks like and where it lives.

Photo. Russian muskrat.

We offer you to watch the video film “Russian Muskrat”

and another short video about the nimble shrew Khokhulya.

Russian muskrat (lat. Desmana moschata) is a mammal that belongs to the order of insectivores. These animals are classified as moles, but they are assigned to a separate subfamily Desmaninae.

At the present time natural habitat The habitat of Russian muskrats is considered to be the territory limited by such rivers as the Don, Dnieper, Ural, and Volga. Sometimes these amazing animals can be found in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Lithuania.

It is one of the largest animals in the northern part of Eurasia, which feeds on insects. The body weight of an adult can reach 380-520 grams, the body length is 18-22 cm, and there are also long tail 17-21 cm, the muskrat has a dense build. The paws of this mammal are small, and in order for it to feel good in the water, the toes of the limbs are connected to each other by swimming membranes. These animals have durable, very thick fur. To prevent it from getting wet in water, a lubricant in the form of oily musk is secreted from the skin gland. The skin gland itself, responsible for the production of lubricant, is located at the base of the muskrat's tail. The mammal has teeth, 44 in total, they have very poor vision, which is compensated by a well-developed sense of touch and smell.

The most favorite habitats of muskrats are calm floodplain waters, in which swamp vegetation grows in sufficient quantities. Almost all the time, the muskrat lives in its hole, the exit of which is necessarily under water. Such bunks may have different size, which directly depends on the steepness of the coast. The muskrat always tries to build its main place of residence under the roots of stumps, trees or bushes. This arrangement, firstly, helps to somewhat hide its location, and secondly, protects the animal from possible collapses.

Muskrats need a lot of food. An adult mammal can eat an amount of food equal to its weight in one day. IN summer period The muskrat eats mainly only bottom living creatures, which include the larvae of the iris beetle, leeches, gastropods, caddis fly larvae, etc. During the winter months, a variety of plant foods and even small fish are added to this food.

Muskrats equip themselves not only with a living burrow, but also with spare burrows. The distance between such burrows is about 25-30 meters. To get from one hole to another (the neighboring one), the animal needs only one minute. Spare burrows serve as places for resting and eating prey. In order not to get entangled under water and to always correctly press its hole, the muskrat lays special trenches along the bottom, along which it moves. By the way, such trenches not only serve as a guide, they quite often contain prey moving along the bottom.

If there is an opportunity to live next to beavers, the muskrat will do just that. This turns out to be useful not only for muskrats, but also for beavers. Russian muskrats can use buildings as protective shelters and, moreover, may not be afraid of nets placed in reservoirs by people, since people know that this should not be done near a beaver’s dwelling - the animal will simply ruin them. At the same time, muskrats help beavers by eating gastropods, which are carriers of the causative agent of the disease stichorchiasis, which is dangerous for beavers.

There are very few Russian muskrats left, so they are now protected. This animal was listed in the Red Book of Russia.

The Russian muskrat (khokhulya) is a rare relict animal. You can meet this animal only in a small part European Russia. In the Don and Volga basins, as well as in some tributaries of the Dnieper. This animal is not found anywhere else.

At a certain period they tried to introduce the Russian muskrat into other habitats, but nothing worked out. Today, these animals can only be found in the wild in the above-mentioned places. All other habitats are created artificially and they live there in captivity.

Appearance

Russian desman description: This animal is an insectivore, and is also the largest representative of this class. The body length of the animal is from 18 to 22 cm, and the tail length is from 17 to 21 cm. With these sizes, animals most often weigh between 380 and 520 grams.

Few people know what a muskrat looks like due to the low distribution and lifestyle of these animals. These animals have a dense build, and the neck is almost invisible from the side. The head has a conical shape, on which the nose-trunk is located. They have rudimentary eyes and well-developed eyelids.

These animals do not have external ears, and the auditory openings, which are presented in the form of slits 1 cm long, close when diving under water. The same thing happens with the nasal openings, which are closed with the help of nasal valves. The animals have rather short legs, they themselves are five-fingered, and the hind legs are larger and wider than the front ones.

They have well-developed claws, which are curved towards the end. At the same time, between the fingers up to the claws there is a well-developed swimming membrane. Special attention should be paid to the fur, which is very thick and silky, and at the same time very durable.

The color of the fur is not the same. The back of the animal has a dark gray tint, and the belly has a light gray tint. The tail of these animals is quite long and flattened on both sides. On each side, along the edges of the tail, there is a cornea, as well as hard hairs. At the base of the tail, these animals have a gland that produces musk, which prevents the fur from getting wet.

Habitats

Where does the muskrat live? This relict species is found, in addition to some places in Russia, also in certain places Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus.

A relict species in Russia has settled in the following places:

In the Dnieper basin, these animals occupied such rivers as Iput, Vyazma, and Oster.
In the Don basin they can be found in rivers such as Voronezh, Bityug, Khoper.
In the upper reaches of the Volga, these animals are found in places such as Kotorosl and Uzha. This animal was also seen in the lower reaches of the Klyazma, Moksha and Tsna.
IN Chelyabinsk region places where the muskrat lives: the bottom of the Uy River in the Kurgan region, as well as in the Tobol floodplain.

Lifestyle and habits

The best conditions for the habitat of this animal are floodplain reservoirs and oxbow lakes, where the water surface area occupies at least one hectare, the depth is at least 5 meters, and along the banks there are small ledges on which a lot of aquatic vegetation can be found. It is also desirable to have a floodplain forest on the banks of such reservoirs.

The muskrat animal spends most of its time in its burrow. The burrows of these animals always have only one exit, but finding it is problematic, since it is always hidden under the water column. However, the rest of the burrow is most often located somewhere above the water level and has a horizontal duration of about 3 meters. These animals also set up separate small chambers in their burrows.

Animals experience minor problems during spring floods. At this time, their burrows are completely flooded and the animals have to leave them during the flood. During this period of time, they settle either in temporary burrows, which are dug in non-flooded areas of the coast, or on floating trees or in sediments from branches. Closer to the bottom of the reservoir, between two adjacent burrows, you can find a tunnel, which is laid between them under a layer of silt, to the very base of sand.

In the summer, these animals settle separately from each other. However, in winter it also happens that up to 12-13 individuals live nearby. Their temporary burrows can be located 20-30 meters from each other. The muskrat covers this distance in about a minute of swimming. This is a comfortable time for the animal to stay under water. Although the maximum for these animals is 4 minutes.

These animals have many differences with ordinary mammals, but at the same time they have a very important advantage - they can stay under water for a long time. While the muskrat moves under the bottom trench, it inhales the air that was drawn into the lungs in the form of small bubbles.

In winter, these bubbles can be used to determine the location of the bottom trench, since air bubbles will float up and freeze into the ice. However, the presence of such a porous base under the ice will make it not very durable. At the same time, such aeration will attract large number mollusks or leeches to such places.

Nutrition

What does a muskrat eat underwater? The diet includes mollusks, leeches, crustaceans, and larvae. Despite the fact that the size of these animals is very small, they eat very, very much. On the entire planet, the muskrat is considered one of the most large species insectivorous animal.

The muskrat can attract crustaceans, larvae and mollusks by releasing air bubbles when moving under water. Aquatic life flocks to such places much more actively in order to continue breeding here. In this case, all that remains for the animal to do is to swim and eat everything.

Reproduction

Sexual maturity of the animals occurs at 10-11 months after birth. Pairing in these animals occurs during the spring flood. When water drives them out of their holes. At this time, fights between males are quite possible. The gestation period ranges from 45 to 50 days. After birth, the cubs are completely naked, blind and helpless. The number of cubs ranges from 1 to 5, and the weight of each is about 3.3 grams.

The place for raising offspring is chosen not too great depth, however, in winter it is quite cold there, and therefore the female lines her nest with wet plants, which she collects in the same reservoir. One female can give up to two offspring per year.

It is noteworthy that if the female detects some kind of danger, or something constantly worries her, she will transport her offspring to another hole on her back. Males do not swim far from their offspring. By the age of one month, babies begin to try to eat adult food, and fully mature by 4-5 months of age.

Enemies

The movement of these animals on land is very difficult, and therefore this animal has quite a lot of enemies on land. These include animals such as foxes, otters, wild cats, ferrets and in some cases kites.

These animals have to leave the water surface during the spring flood. The time of their reproduction also falls during this same period.

Reasons for disappearance

The muskrat is listed in the Red Book. The number of these animals by 1973 was about 70 thousand throughout the USSR. Basically, the reduction in the number of these animals occurred due to the fact that their fur is very, very valuable.

In the early and mid-19th century, these animals were hunted in full swing, and every year approximately 100 thousand animals were destroyed. Due to such widespread persecution of these animals, as well as violation of their habitat (draining of water bodies), their numbers have dropped sharply.

Security

Currently, hunting these animals is prohibited everywhere and they are protected. Such reserves as Khopersky, Voronezhsky, Lugansky, Mordovian, Okskomsky were created for them. These animals also live in 40 reserves. The maintenance of these animals in captivity is going well, but reproduction is noticeably worse than in the wild.

Video

Look interesting video about this unique animal.

intermediate ranks

International scientific name

Desmana moschata (Linnaeus, 1758)

Area Security status

Taxonomy
on Wikispecies

Images
on Wikimedia Commons

ITIS
NCBI
EOL

Lifestyle The most favorable habitats for muskrats are closed floodplain reservoirs (such as oxbow lakes) with a water surface area of 0.1-0.5 ha, and a depth of 1.3-5.0 m, with areas of low but dry steep banks with aquatic vegetation and proximity to floodplain forest. For most of the year, the animals live in burrows with one exit each. The exit opens underwater. The main part of the passage, located above the water level, runs almost horizontally at 2.5-3.0 m and is equipped with 2-3 extensions (chambers). During the flood period, the chambers are flooded, the animals leave them and then take refuge in half-flooded trees, in piles of sediment, or in shallow temporary burrows dug in non-flooded areas of the bedrock bank. At the bottom of the reservoir, between the entrances to two adjacent burrows, a trench is laid, cutting through the entire thickness of the silt to the sandy base. In summer, muskrats live alone, in pairs or in families, and in winter, up to 12-13 animals of different sexes and ages can live in one hole. Each animal has temporarily visited burrows located at a distance of 25-30 m from one another. The muskrat swims this distance along the connecting trench during the normal period of its stay under water - 1 minute (although it can linger in the water column for up to 3-4 minutes). When the animal moves along the bottom trench, it gradually exhales the air collected in its lungs in the form of a string of small bubbles. Under water pressure, bubbles also emerge from the thickness of the fur. In winter, air bubbles accumulate above a trench under the lower surface of the ice and gradually freeze into it in the form of voids of various sizes. The ice above the trench becomes porous and fragile. Due to air bubbles under the ice above the bottom trench of the muskrat, conditions for better aeration are created, which attracts mollusks, leeches and fry. Apparently, the smell of musk also has an attractive effect on them, some doses of which create an odorous trail over the trench. The muskrat does not rush along the bottom of the reservoir in search of food, but moves along a system of trenches, to which its victims themselves are actively drawn. During early floods that are life-threatening to the muskrat, the ice breaks primarily along a line with high porosity (above the trenches); through the cracks formed, the animals escape from flooding and certain death. During frequent winter water rises, muskrat burrows are flooded. Ice, even if it is porous, does not always create a wide crack sufficient for the animal to emerge to the surface. In a flooded hole, the muskrat dies within 5-6 minutes. In very dry years, floodplain reservoirs become shallow or dry up completely. Finding another body of water is not an easy task for a muskrat. The animal is practically blind (it cannot distinguish contours), clubfoot (the long toes of its hind legs are strongly curved). On earth's surface The muskrat cannot move quickly and becomes a victim of predators. Reproduction Puberty occurs at the age of 10-11 months. During the spring flood period, muskrats forced out of their burrows unite in pairs. On quiet days of this period, they make peculiar sounds: males chirp loudly, females make gentle, melodious sounds. The rut is accompanied by fights between males. After 45-50 days of pregnancy, 1 to 5 cubs are born, blind, naked and helpless. The weight of a newborn is 2-3.3 g (almost half that of a newborn rat). The nesting chamber is located at a shallow depth, the air temperature in it is winter months low. The female makes a nest from wet plants collected at the bottom of the reservoir. Returning to the hole after feeding, the female shakes off the water. The fur does not get wet, but film and drops of water, the temperature of which is close to zero, may remain on its surface. This is the situation in which tiny, naked, blind, helpless Russian muskrat cubs find themselves. Peak birth rates occur at the end of May - June and November - December. There are 2 offspring per year. If the female is disturbed, she transports the offspring to another burrow, placing them on her back. The male is present at the brood. At one month of age, the cubs begin to feed on adult food; at 4-5 months they become independent. Population status and conservation The desman is a rare endemic species, listed in the Red Book of Russia with category 2: a rare relict species declining in numbers. The following factors have led to such a deplorable situation for the muskrat in Russia: deforestation of floodplain forests, pollution of reservoirs where animals live, drainage of floodplain lands, which worsens conditions for food production and protection, construction of dams and dams, as well as development on the banks of reservoirs, creation of reservoirs , grazing near water bodies. Currently, the muskrat can be preserved thanks to methods and unconventional organizational forms. Namely, the creation of specialized hunting farms, the main principle of which is rational use and protection of these animals. Limiting factors The habitat of the muskrat is small, since there are few bodies of water favorable for it. Natural factors that negatively affect its numbers include long-term winter floods and high water levels. When water rises in winter, muskrat burrows are flooded and they drown. During the dry summer, floodplain reservoirs become shallow and dry up, and muskrats have to look for a new place to live. On land, muskrats are practically defenseless due to their poor eyesight and slowness, although predators rarely eat them due to their strong musky odor. They are sometimes attacked by stoats, ferrets, otters, foxes, stray dogs and cats; among birds - marsh harrier, black kite, osprey, golden eagle, great spotted eagle, eagle owl, gray owl, even hooded crow and magpie. Underwater they are hunted by pike and large catfish. Wild boars tearing up the ground, and even grazing livestock, also harm muskrats. But the greatest pressure on them comes from introduced species - American mink and muskrat; the latter actively displaces the muskrat, occupying its burrows. However, the main reduction in the range and number of muskrats occurs due to anthropogenic factors: net fishing, economic transformation of floodplains (drainage, water withdrawal for irrigation, deforestation), livestock grazing, and pollution of water bodies. Economic importance and protection measures In the past, the muskrat was valuable commercial species. Until the third quarter of the 17th century, it was mined exclusively for its musky smell. In Rus', dried muskrat tails were used to rearrange laundry; Later, the secretion of her musk glands began to be used in perfumery as a fixative for the smell of perfume. Only later did muskrats begin to be hunted for their fur, and it was valued higher than beaver fur. The ban on hunting muskrats was announced by the Soviet government in 1920 and was in effect for more than 20 years. During this time, the number of muskrats increased noticeably, and hunting was allowed again. However, in 1957 it was banned again, with the exception of catching animals for resettlement. Russia has repeatedly taken measures to protect and restore the muskrat population. From year to year, more than 10,000 individuals were settled, including in the Novosibirsk (Tortas River) and Tomsk (Tagan River) regions, where muskrats had not previously been found. 4 reserves and 80 reserves of federal and local significance were created, where more than 30% of total number animals. Since autumn, Security Center wildlife with financial support from the Foundation national parks carries out the project “Save the Russian Muskrat”, dedicated to the assessment current state muskrat population and development of measures for its conservation. Number Counting the number of muskrats on large areas very complicated, and recent years has practically ceased, so it is difficult to judge its numbers. By that time, more than 70,000 muskrats lived in the USSR: of these, 69,000 individuals were in the RSFSR, 1,500 individuals were in Kazakhstan; in Ukraine and Belarus they amounted to just a few. In the early 90s. the number in Russia fell to 40,000 individuals, and another 2,000 individuals lived in Kazakhstan. Now the number of the species in Russia, according to expert estimates, is about 35,000 individuals, concentrated mainly in the basins of the Volga - 20,000 animals, and the Don - 10,000 animals. About 2,000 muskrats live in the Dnieper basin. They are few in number in the Ural basin. In the Ob basin, the animal appeared thanks to artificial resettlement and is currently most numerous in the Kurgan region (2000 individuals) and very rare in the Tomsk and Novosibirsk regions, where its numbers have fallen due to high floods and weak protection. Notes Categories: Vulnerable species Animals in alphabetical order Russia's shrinking species Semi-aquatic mammals Mammals of Eurasia Moles Animals described in 1758 Monotypic genera of mammals Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Synonyms: