: Nutria have prominent, long white whiskers and a white patch on their muzzle. Both beavers and muskrats typically have black whiskers.
: When swimming, a nutria's tail remains relatively still or drags behind. A muskrat’s tail undulates from side to side to help with propulsion. Habitat and Behavior beaver rat
The nutria is often confused with the native North American beaver and the muskrat. You can distinguish them by these key features: : Nutria have prominent, long white whiskers and
: The most reliable indicator. Nutria have a round, hairless, rat-like tail. Beavers have a broad, flat, paddle-shaped tail, and muskrats have a thin tail that is flattened on the sides. A muskrat’s tail undulates from side to side
: Nutria are "intermediate" in size—larger than a muskrat but smaller than a beaver. An adult nutria typically weighs between 15 and 20 pounds.