TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansas wildlife officials are asking the state's trappers to pitch in and help save the declining population of muskrats in the state and the nation. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) posted to social media on Jan. 2 asking trappers participating in the 2024-2025 fur harvesting season to turn over 50 muskrats. This is to help complete a multi-state health assessment of the species. Can hunters use drones to take wildlife in Kansas? The KDWP is looking to acquire 50 muskrats from across the state with a maximum of two per county. Biologists will send samples of the muskrats to the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Lab for testing in the first large-scale health assessment of the species. If you want to participate, the KDWP asks that you follow these instructions: Skin the animal. Download a carcass tag using this link or by clicking here. Freeze the carcass with the skull within a day of capture. Place the carcass in a plastic sandwich bag and or place it inside another bag. Trappers can send the specimens to the KDWP by contacting Wildlife Research Biologist Matt Peek to arrange a pick-up. He can be reached at 620-342-0658 or [email protected]. What were the top Kansas wildlife stories of 2024? Muskrats are one of more than a dozen species trappers can look for in Kansas, according to the KDWP's website. They are typically found in marshes, swamps, bogs and other aquatic environments where they eat vegetation and occasional snails, mussels and fish. Muskrats are known as one of the most important fur-bearing species in North America historically. For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf