Muskrats originally came from north America, but have become established after being introduced in many parts of Europe and Asia.
These were part of a large group of muskrats living by an outlet leading into the Gironde estuary, on the edge of Bordeaux city centre.
As well as everything else they found to feed on, they were given a steady stream of scraps by locals of all ages – a diet which also supported populations of rats, large mice of a species I have never seen before, and pigeons.