The Netherlands wants to be free from the muskrat in 2034. But to achieve that, there is still a lot of searching to be sought. “We check about 24,000 kilometers of banks. We go through the province with boats, canoes and even on foot. It is a huge job,” says Muskrat manager Jaap Vermaas. The rat catcher only sees the number of caught muskrats rising.
Vermaas lifts a muskrat with sturdy gloves. The animal – almost sixty centimeters long – was caught and set up some time ago. It immediately clearly indicates how large the invasive exotic can become.
The muskrat has spread from Alaska and has hardly any natural enemies in the Netherlands. The animal digs corridors under (rail) roads and in dikes, which can lead to road subsidence and dyke breaches, provided that the animal can go its own way.
More and more rats are being found
By using dogs, more fighters, and the better monitoring of hotbeds, more rats are caught in our province. And those numbers don’t lie.
In 2024, 4321 Muskrats were caught in our province. That is a significant increase compared to the 3429 from 2023. In 2022 there were even 3311, compared to only 1251 in 2021. So it goes up every year.
Call to residents
The fact that more and more rats are being found is not only due to the control, but according to Vermaas, soft winters and dilution of banks also play a role. “The rats get more nests a year and can hide more easily in rougher vegetation along the banks. This makes it harder to find them.”
That is why Jaap calls on residents to be alert. “Do you see a muskrat swimming or diving? Report it viamuskrattenbeging.nl. Then we come by. “