Name of invasive species?
Nutria (myocastor coypus molina)
Ecosystem and region where it is native?
The nutria is native to South America and live in fresh water marshes and wetlands and feed on
vegetation found in those ecosystems.
When and where it was introduced?
The nutria was first introduced into the USA in 1889 for its fur. It was first introduced in the
gulf coast states and breed there until the 1940's when the fur market collapsed causing ranchers to release the nutria who could no longer afford to feed and house this animal.
Why is it harmful? Who or what does it impact? How?
Damages vegetation and destroys habitats in wetlands. The Nutria loves to burrow breaching water retention levees in flooded fields used to produce rive and craw fish in Louisiana and Texas. The burrowing also damages flood control levees that protect low lying areas. They ruin the foundations of many buildings such as houses and dams. The nutria not only damages property by burrowing but also damages crops. Sugar cane and rice are the number one crops damaged by this rodent. The nutria can also be found in wetlands and marshes wreaking havoc on the native plants. As a result many wetlands begin to disappear in southern states such as Louisiana.
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