R. G. Linscombe

Diel movement of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) in a Louisiana brackish, coastal marsh was determined using 37 radio-collared muskrats and a total of 2,046 radio fixes during a 13-month period. Monthly home range averaged 0.48 ha but varied considerably among animals; no differences in home ranges were detected among seasons or sex-age classes of muskrats. Also, no differences in hourly movements were found among sex-age classes during periods of day. During winter and spring, differences were detected among individual muskrats. Comparison of seasonal means for all times of day and for all...

Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus rivalicius) movement and activity patterns were studied in a Louisiana coastal marsh. Trap success was 8.2% in January-February, but only 3.3% in June-August. Of 46 muskrats captured, 65.2% were males. Lodge use was greater than expected in JanuaryMarch and less than expected in April, July and August (X2 =92.5, N =557, P < 0.01). No radio-collared muskrats (11 males and 6 females) were observed rearing young. Five (33.3%) muskrats emigrated in the spring and 3 of the dispersals occurred during a storm tide (29 March- 3 April). Long movements (>70 m)...

Capture and handling techniques developed by river otter (Lutra canadensis) trappers, were evaluated during a 3-year telemetric study in the coastal marsh of Louisiana. A modified No. 11 Victor leghold trap was found to be the most practical and efficient live trap for otters in a marsh habitat. A total of 30 otters were captured. Trap-related injuries were infrequent and not serious. Eighty-four percent of the captured otters sustained minor cuts or no injury at all. Trapped otter were handled safely and efficiently by means of a long-handled net. This handling technique was also used to...

Winter foods of the river otter (Lutra canadensis) in southern Louisiana were determined to gain an understanding of prey eaten by otters. Otters were taken by trappers in the salt marsh in southeastern Louisiana and freshwater swamp in the Atchafalaya Basin in southcentral Louisiana. Fishes were found in 83.3% of the digestive tracts from salt marsh and 83.0% of the tracts from the swamp area. Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) occurred in 19.8% of the digestive tracts from salt marsh and 3.8% of the tracts from the swamp area. Crayfishes (Procambarus sp.) were found in 34.% of the swamp...