Abstract
The production and care of offspring by female mammals imposes substantial energetic costs. Muskrat ( Ondatra zibethicus ) is an iteroparous mammal that can produce multiple litters annually. We investigated the relation between body fat and pup production in female muskrat. There were significant negative relations between percent body fat and total number of placental scars (i.e., embryos produced) and the number of litters produced. Reduction in body fat might have resulted from reproductive effort and might decrease future survival and reproduction in muskrat.
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