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Here in America we refer to these fluffy critters as Nutria.
Everywhere else in the world people call them Coypu and they refer to the animal’s fur specifically as Nutria.
So, apparently to the rest of the world, we are calling them “The Fur of a Coypu” when we refer to the animal itself as a Nutria.
I personally think “Coypu” just sounds much better in general than “Nutria” does. But whatever it’s called, it’s an invasive species here in Virginia.
The scientific name of this animal is Myocastor Coypus. In Latin “myo” means mouse and “castor” means beaver, so the literal translation is “mouse beaver.” Right off the bat, you can tell there are going to be cases of mistaken identity popping up all around this impostor.
Historically, the Coypu were imported into Louisiana in the 30’s for the fur industry there. Then in the 40’s they were promoted as a “biological agents” to be imported for deterring unwanted or over-productive aquatic or waters-edge vegetation. Sort of like what Longwood University did when they organized for goats the be fenced in near along Gross Creek near Midtown Square here in Farmville. The animals were put there to cut back the overgrowth. From escapees from the fur trade to imported biological agents, the Nutria population took root here in the U.S. and has continued to grow and compete for space and resources with native species.
A casual sighting of the Coypu could mistakenly lead the viewer to think they spotted a river otter, or perhaps even a beaver. These things happen all the time, all along the eastern shore here in the US.
The Nutria is a semi-aquatic mammal. They are “medium sized” with light-to-dark brown water-slick hair. The Coypu frequents the shorelines of various habitats, anything from creeks, streams, and rivers to ponds, lakes, and estuaries. They are often sighted dipping in and out of the water with exceptional mastery of both the aquatic and terrestrial terrains. With so many similarities between the Nutria, river otters, and beavers, it is understandable for cases of mistaken identity to be so common. For some info about beavers check out my other blog post at https://sandytice9.wixsite.com/thenative/post/the-great-and-amazing-north-american-beaver
The celebrated nature photographer Max Waugh, winner of the black and white Wildlife Photographer of the Year, took it upon themselves to elaborate on these commonalities. In order from top to bottom here are the Muskrat, Beaver, Otter, and Nutria.
To check out these and more visit https://www.maxwaugh.com/
For more reference here is an artist depiction of (in order from top to bottom) a Beaver, a Coypu, and an Otter.
These artistic depictions and photographs are great. I truly enjoy when art and nature collide. Aristotle is once quoted with saying, “Art takes Nature as it’s model.” Every day I find this to be more and more true.
Also, here is a silhouetted size comparison of the a those previously mentioned critters, and a few more, for reference.
The Nutria is a semi-aquatic mammal that feeds on underwater terrestrial plants. They have 5 toes on each foot, front and back, with partially webbed back feet. Coypu have rat-like tails and large white whickers with orange-yellow teeth. They like to create little volleyball sized nest near the waters edge out of plants. These comparison pictures are from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. As a part of their Chesapeake Bay Nutria Eradication Project. This project was implemented in 2002, with the aim to remove the invasive species from Virginia.
They (and by “they” I mean the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services) offer a great example of why the Nutria/Coypu are such a threat as an invasive species.
– “In 1938, twenty nutria were introduced into Louisiana and within twenty years, the nutria population exceeded 20 million animals. By 1962, the nutria had replaced the native muskrat as the leading furbearer in Louisiana.”
The Nutria have an exceptional ability to proliferate and outcompete native species. If you want to educate yourself and get some Know-How about the various distinctions amongst these various, yet similar, species you can get more information at https://www.fws.gov/chesapeakenutriaproject/Biology.html
Not to get into money and math and whatnot (yuck) but interestingly enough there was a study conducted by Maryland that estimated a yearly economic loss of $35 million caused by the Nutria and their associated habitat destruction.
If you’re a total nerd and want to, check it out at https://www.fws.gov/chesapeakenutriaproject/pdfs/Southwick_Economic_rpt.pdf
A coastwide Nutria herbivory survey was conducted and found that and estimated 100,000 acres of wetland was damaged due to their destructive eating habits. They have few natural predators and the vegetation here hasn’t evolved to deter them in any way, therefore they can wreck an ecosystem once their population numbers rise. When Coypu graze they damage root systems, and this makes vegetative regeneration and recovery very slow.
Here is an example of what Nutria can do to a habitat.
This example was given by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Check out more at https://www.nutria.com/site.php
These invasive imported imposters can cause damage to ecosystems in many ways. But if you are curious about these critters in general, then check out this video by WizScience on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGSH7yKcDpA
So, this week, scan the water and the shoreline for these fluffy faker fellas. Next week’s blog will probably explore some fancy plants I like, maybe mimosa's maybe hickories, who knows! Peace out and keep it classy. Till next time. – The Native
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