backround informationYou may never think about pest and animal control until the problem has already affected your life. Nutria are semi-aquatic rodents; they are also known as Coypus or River Rat. They were brought to the United States from South America in the 1880’s for its fur. They did not become an invasive species until the 1940’s when the Nutria fur trade empire collapsed, causing the wild release of the animal. Thousands of non-native invasive plants, insects, fish, mollusks, crustaceans, pathogens, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals (like Nutria) have infested hundreds of millions of acres of land and water across the nation, causing massive disruptions in ecosystem function.
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Nutria can be found in 22 of the 50 states. The largest amount of its population is found along the Gulf Coast States. It has a high-reproductive rate, again contributing to the invasive species label. Nutria breed year round. Litters average four to five however, they can have up to thirteen young per litter and three litters per year. Add to this the fact that young are born fully furred and active—able to swim and destroy marsh within five days of birth.
Nutria have a couple of dopple-gangers, making them hard to identify sometimes. They favor small beavers and muskrats. Here are some of the physical identifying features of the Nutria:
-approximately 2ft long
-dark brown
-large head and short legs
-spikey rat-like tail
-orange incisors below the upper lip
-white whiskers protruding from their nose
- front feet not-webbed, back feet webbed
Nutria have a couple of dopple-gangers, making them hard to identify sometimes. They favor small beavers and muskrats. Here are some of the physical identifying features of the Nutria:
-approximately 2ft long
-dark brown
-large head and short legs
-spikey rat-like tail
-orange incisors below the upper lip
-white whiskers protruding from their nose
- front feet not-webbed, back feet webbed
habitat
Nutria are most commonly found in the southeastern side of Texas in the wetland areas. The heavily populate the coastline due to their habitat. Nutria can be found residing in farm ponds and other standing freshwater. Drainage canals and even brackish swamps, bayous, and marshes can host the Nutria. In these areas, the Nutria burrows, or makes a nest, to live along the river banks or lake shore. Hence the nickname River Rat. If damaged areas do not re-vegetate quickly, they will become open water as tidal waters remove soil and thus lower elevation. Frequently, Nutria grazing damages the plant's root systems, making recovery through vegetative regeneration very slow.
nutria nuisance
Nutria can impact people, plants, and livestock. Burrowing is the number one concern and provokes the most damage. Nutria burrows can impact flood-control levees, roadbeds, and weaken the foundation of reservoir dams and buildings. Texas fields produce rice and crawfish, which is the perfect territory for a Nutria to breech and make home. Sugarcane and rice are two of the primary crops damaged by Nutria each year, in addition to corn, wheat, barely, and more. Their messy feeding habits make them particularly wasteful as they only consume 10% of what they cut down. They can damage a wetland’s vegetation to the point of throwing off the entire ecosystem in that location. The biggest impact made by the Nutria is to marsh lands. They can quickly convert grassy marsh into unproductive open water by attacking the very structure that holds the marsh together, the vegetative root mat. Nutria also compete for habitat and food with native mammals like muskrat, beaver, and otter.
Nutria can be very dangerous to the public’s health, too. It has even developed its own ailment, the “nutria itch.” Due to its semi-aquatic living arrangements, and hospitable fur, the rodent is a host to many unwanted visitors. Blood flukes, liver flukes, and tapeworms are at the top of the list. This critter also can carry pathogens, including septicemia and tuberculosis. Most of these are found in the Nutria’s feces or urine. They easily spread these harmful contaminants by being in the water. Animal pest control services are needed immediately if one is found in or near drinking water supplies or public swimming areas. There filth causes bacterial contamination and coli-form levels to rise in water samples.
Nutria can be very dangerous to the public’s health, too. It has even developed its own ailment, the “nutria itch.” Due to its semi-aquatic living arrangements, and hospitable fur, the rodent is a host to many unwanted visitors. Blood flukes, liver flukes, and tapeworms are at the top of the list. This critter also can carry pathogens, including septicemia and tuberculosis. Most of these are found in the Nutria’s feces or urine. They easily spread these harmful contaminants by being in the water. Animal pest control services are needed immediately if one is found in or near drinking water supplies or public swimming areas. There filth causes bacterial contamination and coli-form levels to rise in water samples.
catch and trapping
There are many Texan laws regarding the practice of trapping wildlife, so it is best to leave it to the professionals. If you have Nutria on your property, contact wildlife control. Like most wild animal control practices, trapping is the best way to deal with Nutria. It may take some patience and time, but once the Nutria has been lured in and properly caught, it is released back into a safe environment. The most humane way to catch a Nutria is with a double-door trap. This trap has some sort of bait placed inside to draw the animal in; once inside, the doors close and the Nutria has room to move around while waiting for release. This is a better alternative than the leg-trap, which can be harmful and painful for the animal.
