On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:58:44 EST, Bonnie NJ wrote:

This morning I looked out at the pond and noticed a small furry animal
sitting on the bottom slate of the waterfall carefully washing
itself. I was trying to get a better look and I must have startled
the animal - it slid into the pond! The pond is ice covered except
for the area at the base of the waterfall.
The animal was the size of a baby groundhog - is it a (I hate to say
it) a muskrat? And how
do I go about getting rid of it? Do they eat fish? The level of the
pond hasn't dropped yet, so
I assume there are no holes yet.

What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If it is
a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet carrier
and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond from
plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:
http://www.nhptv.org/NatureWorks/muskrat.htm

Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
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Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us