How Many Nutria are Too Many Nutria

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How Many Nutria are Too Many Nutria?
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More than 80,000 acres of wetlands are
impacted by nutria! Unless nutria populations
are reduced, restoring coastal marshes will
not be successful! The Coastwide Nutria
Control Program, and the promotion of nutria
meat as a high-protein, low-fat food source, is
the main hope for Louisiana's coast.
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Initial Stages of DamageMinor Damage
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Close up of Severely Damaged Brackish Marsh
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Close up of an Exclosure
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Caution! Nutria at work!
Nutrias digging for roots results in the
development of muddy holes.
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The ears are small and the eyes are set high on
the head. The nose and mouth are valvular (i.e.,
can be closed to prevent entry of water), and
nutria are capable of swimming long distances
under-water. When pursed while under-water,
nutria can see and will take evasive action to
avoid capture.
Cool Fact Females have four pairs of mammary
glands that are located on the side of the body,
rather than on the belly. Presumably, this
positioning of the mammary glands allow the young
to nurse with their nose above the water's
surface while the mother is floating.
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The digits are used to groom and to dig roots,
and burrows, and are used in feeding. The
hindfoot consists of 4webbed, clawed toes and
one un-webbed toe.
The hind legs are large compared with the
forelegs. When moving on land, the nutria's
chest drags on the ground and its back appears
hunched. Although appearing awkward, the nutria
is capable of fast overland travel for
considerable distances.
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More Facts!
Nutria are thought of as colonial because the
same den is shared by the dominant male with
2-3 females and their off-spring.
Males are
slightly larger
then females. Nutria
weigh an average of 12
pounds (5.4 kg).
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states without nutria
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Nutria breed year round and are extremely
prolific. Juveniles reach sexual maturity between
3 - 9 months. With a gestation period of 130
days, in one year, an adult nutria can produce
two litters and be pregnant for a third.
The litter numbers range from 1-13 with an
average of 4.5 young. Females can breed within a
day of having a litter.
At birth, they are fully furred and the eyes
are open. They feed on vegetation w/in hours
and nurse for 7-8 weeks.
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Favored foods for nutria include rushes, reeds,
cattails, arrowhead, square-stem spike rush and
sawgrass. Sugarcane, alfalfa, corn and rice are
also eaten if available.
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Nutria have also been attributed with the decline
of the muskrat populations in Louisiana. They
have been reported to compete with muskrats and
water fowl for trophic resources.
Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) next to its house
in a cattail-dominated marsh.
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Chef Philippe Parola has been hired by federal
and the Louisiana state governments to conduct a
nation-wide promotion for nutria meat to help
preserve the wetlands of the southern
states. Today, thousands of pounds of nutria
meat in Louisiana move across state lines. For
more information, please go to www.nutria.com
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FAQs WHAT IS NUTRIA MEAT LIKE?? It is a very
lean red meat and is very similar to rabbit meat
and tastes like dark turkey meat.IS IT
WHOLESOME TO EAT?Yes. Nutria are still
harvested primarily for the pelt, but must be
stored and processed under guidelines for other
food grade meat. Only nutria processed at a state
inspected facility can be sold for human
consumption. In addition to Chef Philippe
Parola, many premier Louisiana chefs have created
nutria dishes. AREN'T NUTRIA DIRTY ANIMALS?NO!
Quite the contrary. Nutria occurring in the wild
are clean animals. Contrary to their look-alikes,
rats, which are omnivores, nutria consume
exclusively plant life.
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Louisiana Coastwide Nutria Control Program
(2003-04)
Proposed Solution The Program will consist of an
economic incentive of 4 per nutria tail
delivered to collection centers established in
coastal Louisiana. The goal
is to encourage the harvest of up
to 400,000 nutria annually. This
program is funded by Coastal
Wetlands Planning Protection and
Restoration Act.
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Some sites do recover! Below are pictures of the
same site taken in May 03 and one year later.
Current research is needed to determine why some
sites recover while others do not
May, 2003
One year later!
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Photos, graphics and text are from Louisiana Fur
and Alligator Advisory Council (www.alligatorfur.c
om/) Barataria-Terrebone National Esturary
Program (www.btnep.org) The Louisiana Department
of Wildlife and Fisheries (www.nutria.com or
http//dnr.louisiana.gov/) and
www.enchantedlearning.com