FOX40 News. (2023, June 30). Nutria Invade California Waterways-California Connection. Retrieved August 12, 2023, from https://fox40.com/news/california-connection/nutria-california-waterways/
Nutria are an invasive species of rodent similar to capybara. They can be found near freshwater or estuaries and are seen around ponds, marshes, rivers, and more. Nutria are often mistaken for beavers and muskrats but can be identified by several features. They have round tails with little hair and teeth that are yellow-orange. Originally from South America, they were brought to the United States for their fur in 1899; however, since then, they have escaped, reproduced, and made a significant impact on the environment. They destroy ten times the plant material that they eat and cause severe land erosion because of their underground burrows. The burrows themselves are also detrimental to the environment by causing severe erosion underneath the soil.
Invasive species can have very large impacts on the environment they move into. Therefore, I believe that this is a cause for concern among the environmental science community. If a solution is not found, the impacts stated before could be very large if left unaddressed, which is why it is essential to environmental science. I feel like in the year 2023, we should have a safe way with little side effects to limit the growth or spread of this invasive species. I imagine that it is not easy to figure out a solution that doesn’t affect other wildlife. We’ve seen other invasive species and their effect on other habitats. I wonder if preventing the spread of the disease is worth it. They have passed laws in California that prevent people from owning and importing them, while Louisiana and Maryland implemented nutria “eradication measures.” When will California need to do the same thing, and will it be too late?
It is interesting that a small animal like this has such a big impact on the environment, and I have never heard of them. It is weird to think that we do not have a way to get rid of this invasive species. Are Nutria found all around the country?
Like most invasive species, nutria adapt fast to many different types of ecosystems, which makes it hard to get rid of them. Nutria can be found from the gulf up to the Atlantic coast and across to the Pacific. Their adaptability has made it very difficult to get rid of them.