Wildlife on the commute...

[SlowButSteady]

brown, and has a stubby furry black tail. I've seen it twice in the same place on the side of the road. It looks like a beaver, only without the classic beaver tail. Any ideas?

Was it a groundhog? They're often seen from the side of the road. Beaverlike with furry tail. Adults are bigger than guinea pigs, though.

I laughed at a friend once who kept emailing me pictures of something she called a beaver. I asked her if was near water. No. She emailed me a picture. It was a groundhog. But we are still laughing, calling it a "mountain beaver."

[Tuckervill]

I think it's a nutria, too. They can look a little different. They look like beavers, but with furry tails.

Karen

[margo49]

I think it's a nutria, too. They can look a little different. They look like beavers, but with furry tails.

Karen

It might be an otter.
But perhaps that is just the British name for nutria.
Trust Tuck-ie; she is good at identifying things by their tails, wet or otherwise!!

[kfergos]

Groundhog! That must be it. The critter looks almost exactly like this.

I'll see if I can get a picture some time.

[mimitabby]

It might be an otter.
But perhaps that is just the British name for nutria.
Trust Tuck-ie; she is good at identifying things by their tails, wet or otherwise!!

no no, Otters are not Nutrias. Nutrias are big rodents. Otters are geniuses in comparison, look
at the brain cases.. Your ground hog is cute. Nutrias are usually found near or in water.

first, an otter:




here's a nutria

[Jenerator]

I think I need a new commute route...all I see are domestic dogs & cats, a few prarie dogs, racoons & the occaisonal urban outdoorsman.

[MomOnBike]

I was thinking that too, until I saw this on a slightly different route the other day

Shortly thereater, the bear reached up and swatted away that pesky flying witch.

[helena]

All I ever see are moose ..... and they are so very big, gets the adrenaline going every time.