Nutria

Scientific name: Myocastor coypus Molina

Common names: Nutria, coypu, coypu rat, nutria rat, swamp beaver

Native To: South America

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1930s

Images: Google

Video: Nutria Hunted to Save Wetlands (or click Play button below)

Means of Introduction: Introduced for fur production

Impact: Damages vegetation and destroys habitat in wetlands

Current U.S. Distribution: Gulf of Mexico coast, Atlantic coast, Pacific Northwest (NAS Database map)

Management Plans: Aquatic Species / Nutria

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Myocastor coypus
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Myocastor coypus Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Nutria - Factsheet (Oct 2010; PDF | 228 KB)
USDA. APHIS. Wildlife Services.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Nutria at Blackwater NWR
DOI. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Nutria, Eating Louisiana's Coast (PDF | 208 KB)
DOI. National Wetlands Research Center.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: Nutria meat nutritional analysis

Myocastor coypus - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database
DOI. USGS. Southeast Ecological Science Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Special Note: Distribution maps and collection information (State and County)

The Effect of Nutria (Myocastor coypus) on Marsh Loss in the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland: An Exclosure Study
DOI. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Controls

Nutria
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Controls

Nutria - Frequently Asked Questions
Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Wildlife and Heritage Service.
Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: Maryland Marsh Restoration/Nutria Project Partnership

Nutria - The Mammals of Texas Online Edition
Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photograph; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution

Nutria (Myocastor coypus)
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution

Nutria
Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. Washington Invasive Species Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History

Nutria - Georgia Wildlife Web
University of Georgia. Georgia Museum of Natural History; Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution

Invasive Species of the Gulf Coast: Nutria
Louisiana Sea Grant. Louisiana Marine Education Resources.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Nutria - Invasive Species in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Workshop (May 2002)
Maryland Sea Grant.
Identification/Descriptions; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Legal Aspects

Myocastor coypus
University of Michigan. Museum of Zoology. Animal Diversity Web.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion

Nutria - Exotic Aquatics on the Move
National Sea Grant Network and Geographic Education Alliances.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Nutria - Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Nutria - Aquatic Invasive Species of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Penn State Erie - The Behrend College.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Nutria - Myocaster coypus
Portland State University. Department of Environmental Sciences and Resources. Center for Lakes and Reservoirs.
Identification/Description; Introduction History; Impacts

Myocastor coypus - Delivering Alien Invasive Species Inventories for Europe (Nov 2006; PDF | 178 KB)
European Commission. Sixth Framework Programme.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Tropical Asia Invaded: Nutria
Global Invasive Species Programme.
Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Controls

Myocastor coypus (mammal) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Myocastor coypus
Discover Life.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion

Nutria Fact Sheet
Friends of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: Nutria Slide Show

Nutria
Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Legal Aspects; Special Note: Food habits

Nutria are killing the Chesapeake Bay's Marshes - Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland
Maryland Invasive Species Council.
Photographs; Impacts

Nutria
National Trappers Association.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Special Note: Illustration of nutria tracks

Myocastor coypus
TexasInvasives.org.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Legal Aspects