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Muskrat trapping data in the Netherlands 1941 – 1986, data at provincial level per year

Citation

Moerkens D, Boonstra M, Creuwels J (2026). Muskrat trapping data in the Netherlands 1941 – 1986, data at provincial level per year. Het Waterschapshuis. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/8g2b5y accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-06-04.

Description

Trapped muskrats in the Netherlands have been manually registered at provincial level from 1941 until 1986. These data have yielded a valuable dataset that has been used in multiple studies. This dataset is part of a series of datasets concerning trapping muskrats, from 1941 until present

The trapping data of muskrats and Coypu in the Netherlands is available in various GBIF datasets with different spatial and temporal accuracy:

Muskrat trapping data in the Netherlands 1941 – 1970, data at municipal level per year; this dataset

Muskrat trapping data in the Netherlands 1941 – 1986, data at provincial level per year

Muskrat trapping data in the Netherlands 1987 – 2014, data on 5x5 km level per period of four weeks (https://doi.org/10.15468/ytr96y)

Coypu trapping data in the Netherlands 1992 – 2016, data at provincial organization level per year (https://doi.org/10.15468/a8k4ep)

MICA - Muskrat and coypu occurrences collected by UVW in the Netherlands (from 2014 onwards), data per trapped animal with exact location and date (https://doi.org/10.15468/qjds4c)

Sampling Description

Study Extent

The Netherlands

Sampling

Only trapped (dead) muskrats were registered

Quality Control

Trapping is carried out by professional trappers

Method steps

  1. Data are collected in the field by specialized trappers, using the predefined sampling protocol.
  2. In R the location (on municipality level are georeferenced with a Google geocoding API, yielding geographic coordinates and the uncertainty of coordinates. These uncertainties are calculated from current borders of the municipality. Sometimes they have to be slightly adjusted due to changes of municipality (in most cases merging with other municipalities).
  3. An R script script is created to transform the original data structure and add extra taxonomic information, as well other information.
  4. The output is an DarwinCore occurrence file, which is uploaded via the NLBIF IPT and documented with metadata.

Taxonomic Coverages

The target species for this dataset is Ondatra zibethicus.
  1. Animalia
    rank: kingdom
  2. Vertebratae
    rank: phylum
  3. Mammalia
    rank: class
  4. Rodentia
    rank: order
  5. Cricetidae
    rank: family

Geographic Coverages

The Netherlands

Bibliographic Citations

  1. Beheer van de Muskusrat in Nederland. Synthese van een grootschalige veldproef en parallelle studies - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325441957_Beheer_van_de_Muskusrat_in_Nederland_Synthese_van_een_grootschalige_veldproef_en_parallelle_studies_AW-rapport_2458_Feanwalden_Altenburg_Wymenga_ecologisch_onderzoek
  2. Technische rapportage "objectbescherming en analyse van ontwikkelingen in de proefuurhokken" - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326463303_Technische_rapportage_objectbescherming_en_analyse_van_ontwikkelingen_in_de_proefuurhokken
  3. Toekomst van het muskusrattenbeheer in Nederland. De mogelijkheden onderzocht - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329375313_Toekomst_van_het_muskusrattenbeheer_in_Nederland_De_mogelijkheden_onderzocht
  4. Cost-Benefit analysis of invasive muskrat control in The Netherlands: Complete removal as financially rational strategy - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/341741951_Cost-Benefit_analysis_of_invasive_muskrat_control_in_The_Netherlands_Complete_removal_as_financially_rational_strategy
  5. A Large‐Scale Experiment to Evaluate Control of Invasive Muskrats - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342070750_A_Large-Scale_Experiment_to_Evaluate_Control_of_Invasive_Muskrats
  6. Damage to dykes and levees in the ­ Netherlands is extensive and increases with muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) density - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335110265_Damage_to_dykes_and_levees_in_the_-_Netherlands_is_extensive_and_increases_with_muskrat_Ondatra_zibethicus_density
  7. Evidence for the effectiveness of controlling muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus L.) populations by trapping - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333028432_Evidence_for_the_effectiveness_of_controlling_muskrat_Ondatra_zibethicus_L_populations_by_trapping
  8. Intensieve bestrijding van muskusrat en nutria in Nederland. Ervaring gebaseerd op jarenlange controle en onderzoek - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330313252_Intensive_Bekampfung_von_Bisam_und_Nutria_in_den_Niederlanden_Erfahrungen_auf_Grundlage_langjahriger_Bekampfung_und_Forschung
  9. A historical perspective on the effects of trapping and controlling the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in The Netherlands - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297585112_A_historical_perspective_on_the_effects_of_trapping_and_controlling_the_muskrat_Ondatra_zibethicus_in_The_Netherlands

Contacts

Dolf Moerkens
originator
position: Policy advisor
Unie van Waterschappen
Koningskade 40
Den Haag
NL-2596 AA
Zuid-Holland
NL
Telephone: +31.6.5333 4668
email: dmoerkens@uvw.nl
homepage: https://www.uvw.nl
Mirjam Boonstra
originator
position: Advisor
Wetterskip Fryslân
Fryslânplein 3
Leeuwarden
NL-8914 BZ
Fryslân
NL
Telephone: +31.6.39314032
email: Mboonstra@wetterskipfryslan.nl
homepage: https://www.uvw.nl
Jeroen Creuwels
originator
position: Data manager
NLBIF
PO Box 9517
Leiden
NL-2300 RA
NL
Telephone: +31.71.7519600
email: nlbif@naturalis.nl
homepage: https://www.nlbif.nl
userId: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6131-7026
Dolf Moerkens
metadata author
position: Policy advisor
Unie van Waterschappen
Koningskade 40
Den Haag
NL-2596 AA
Zuid-Holland
NL
Telephone: +31.6.5333 4668
email: dmoerkens@uvw.nl
homepage: https://www.uvw.nl
Dolf Moerkens
administrative point of contact
position: Policy advisor
Unie van Waterschappen
Koningskade 40
Den Haag
NL-2596 AA
Zuid-Holland
NL
Telephone: +31.6.5333 4668
email: dmoerkens@uvw.nl
homepage: https://www.uvw.nl
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