Semi Aquatic
Beavers
The American beaver is the largest rodent in North America, weighing up to seventy pounds. Considered nature's engineer, ponds are created as a result of dam building. Here they catch food and build their homes. Dams become hiding spots against predators and, unfortunately, an attractant to other nuisance wildlife. They can build canals to link their feeding spots to larger bodies of freshwater. Mud and branch dens and lodges are signs at least one beaver is residing nearby.
They can cause extensive damage; flooded homes, roads and croplands lead to millions of dollars in repairs and erosion. They can decimate precious woodland to use for their construction. The trees they don't chop are stripped of bark, limiting the supply of nutrients and weakening or killing the trees. Over-trapping almost led to the animal's near-extinction here. Their return to the northwest region of Arkansas was a positive sign for its conservation. However, the declining need for beaver furs has swung the pendulum the other way, and now they need to be controlled.
Muskrats
Muskrats are also a rodent. They are outstanding swimmers and native to North America. These critters emit a musky yellowish secretion that marks their territory and helps them attract a mate, which led to their name. In precarious situations, they snarl and squeal. They live in the region's marshy areas and eat clams, turtles, and frogs. They also enjoy roots, bulbs, and crops, which often leads to property damage. Arkansas' crucial rice farming industry takes an annual hit in the millions from these pests.
Their foraging negatively impacts the viability of marshes. They build their homes out of vegetation, further damaging the environment. Restoration of muskrat damaged habitat takes years and has a negative impact on fish and wildlife. Their burrowing leads to levee and pond damage, making population control necessary for this community. If you run into one, you're not advised to touch it because they can carry and transmit infectious diseases such as tularemia and leptospirosis and have parasites such as fleas, ticks, flukes, and roundworms.
Otters
Arkansas and wildlife go hand in hand, and otters attracted explorers, settlers, and fur traders to the region as early as the 1700s and they were subsequently over-trapped. In response to the continuing dilemma, the State's Game and Fish Commission was established in 1915. The Commission set down several regulations to reduce over-exploitation. Demand for pelts increased again in 1977, which led to a new round of regulations.
Today, don't be surprised to see otters floating on the rivers on rafts they build. They also hang out in lakes, streams, and drainage areas. Otters live in dens and are known to take over homes built by groundhogs, beavers, and muskrats. As the only true predator of these three, they enjoy eating fish, turtles, and crayfish. The damage otters cause is to fish populations because they are voracious eaters and can quickly wipe out a pond's supply. As cute and humanlike as they may seem, it is not advisable to approach them. They grow to 4 feet long and are known to carry rabies.