THE MUSK RAT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1933, Page 3

THE MUSK RAT

NOT* WANTED HERE

HAVOC WITH ITS TUNNELS

Not long ago the suggestion was seriously made that the introduction of the musk rat or "musquash, into New Zealand would he desirable owing to the revenue that could be derived from the fur. But it would appear to be a certainty that, onco liberated in the Dominion, the musk rat would develop into an even greater pest than the rabbit in Australia. In 1905 a few pairs of this North American rodent were liberated in Central Europe. Since then they have multiplied so rapidly and have done such extensive damage that the German and other Governments have been forced to take active steps to keep them in check. Musk rats infest streams, canals, ponds, and ditches, and do great damage by burrowing into the banks aud building obstructions in the beds of streams. They also cause damage to crops, destroy fish, and even attack small live stock. The introduction into the Dominion of the musk rat would therefore seem to be an experiment which, if tried, would be fraught with disastrous consequences. The problem of musk rat control in Germany has now assumed formidable dimensions, and the authorities at present can do little more than hinder the westward progress of the musk rats and protect at a great cost certain important canals. In the heavily-infested areas little more can be done than to thin down the musk rat population; but the losses inflicted on the rats are more than repaired each year, not only by tbe rapid breeding of the survivors, but by the continual influx of newcomers. An estimate of the musk rat population of Central Europe has been made by authorities, and they place it as not less than one hundred million. Gassing, poison, and other recognised methods of eradication have not been found effective. In North America musk rats are only tolerated in marshes unfit for anything else, and field observations in Europe show that there the musk rats make their own marshes. As they tunnel each year into the meadows bordering rivers like the Danube, the banks collapse and the river is progressively widened until finally the surrounding meadows are converted into marshes. The effect produced in a couple of years is startling, and costly works of drainage, irrigation, and embankment are quickly rendered useless. / Observations show that the musk rat can advance with great rapidity. The officer in charge of musk rat control in Bavaria ringed several musk rats and liberated them. The greatest wanderer was a male who, when captured fifteen day_ later, had travelled about 30 miles up-stream against a strong current and had already constructed burrows in new ground. Musk rats, given their chance in New Zealand, would probably think they were in paradise, and it would be an evil day for New Zealand were they ever liberated here. '