Description ²

Marsh rice rats can dive to 10 m and cross 300 m stretches of water. They are carnivores and prey on crabs, clams, snails, fish, insects, baby turtles, and birds. In some places, they breed throughout the year, and in other places, they breed from March to October. A litter of five, after a gestation of 25 days, is typical. They are weaned before they are three weeks old.

Habitat ³

Prefers saltwater and freshwater marshes (semi-aquatic). It may also be found in swamps and moist meadows. Able to move between adjacent islands by swimming across salt water.

Conservation status ⁴

Secure

Sources and Credits

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (presumably), no known copyright restrictions (public domain), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Oryzomys_palustris_in_vegetation.jpg
2. Adapted by okaloosascience from a work by (c) Smithsonian Institution, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/16146941
3. Adapted by okaloosascience from a work by (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31178494
4. Adapted by okaloosascience from a work by (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28860395

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• ASM Mammal Diversity Database
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• iNaturalist Mammal Working Group
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• VertNet

Range Map

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