Today in Muskrat Love

The one lay nearly motionless on a rock, I suspect injured. The other (also injured) was busy trying to cover its mate (they are seasonally monogamous) before one of the many predators in the area spotted it. Just about anything will grab a Muskrat.

The more mobile of the two scurried back and forth, only giving me one brief look as she worked. Muskrats are highly territorial and I suspect these two were on the losing end of what had to be an epic battle with another pair. The one could barely move.

The other wasn't diving much but was going back and forth to shore, another indicator she was hurting too. I've never seen this behavior before and I came away feeling certain what I'd seen was a solid example of animal altruism. One, caring for it's injured mate.

The female was exhausted before she got the hutch up over her mate. She cleaned herself, (above) and snuggled into her mate to take a break.