no photo — written note
Animals
The state's largest rodent and its most obvious engineer — dams, lodges and pencil-cut stumps.
Field facts
HabitatCreeks, rivers, ponds, reservoirs
RangeStatewide
When to lookYear-round; most visible at dusk
StatusLeast Concern (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesMuskrat — much smaller with a thin rope-like tail
Field note: A fresh cut stump is pale and pointed like a sharpened pencil.
Lesson
Watching responsibly
Watch dams and lodges from the bank. Never breach a dam.
Your records
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