Rat — Beaver

The nutria is often confused with the native North American beaver and the muskrat. You can distinguish them by these key features:

: Nutria are "intermediate" in size—larger than a muskrat but smaller than a beaver. An adult nutria typically weighs between 15 and 20 pounds. beaver rat

: The most reliable indicator. Nutria have a round, hairless, rat-like tail. Beavers have a broad, flat, paddle-shaped tail, and muskrats have a thin tail that is flattened on the sides. The nutria is often confused with the native