Invasion of 20-pound rodents wreaking havoc on California may have been intentional: officials (nutria)

NY Post ^ | 4/11/26 | Katie Jerkovich

[Libloather]

California is under invasion from a 20-pound rodent once believed to have been eradicated from the state – and officials now fear humans may be to blame.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said DNA testing of the 2.5-foot-long pest, known as a nutria, shows the current population is linked to animals in Oregon, not to the species that roamed California in the 1970s before being wiped out.

“This study supports our long-held belief that the current invasion is the result of reintroduction rather than explosive growth of a remnant, undetected population,” the CDFW ‘s Nutria Eradication Program Manager Valerie Cook said.

Nutria are semi-aquatic rodents native to South America that live near freshwater and estuaries. Because they burrow like beavers, they can cause extensive damage to water infrastructure, banks and levees, posing a hazard to people, livestock and machine operators, according to the agency.

The species is classified as an A-rated pest.

The big question now is why – was it accidental, or something more nefarious?

“Given where nutria were rediscovered in California, it is nearly impossible that they could have migrated there on their own,” Michael Buchalski of the CDFW told SFGATE.

“It’s too far of a distance and we don’t find any nutria in the areas in between. That makes human introduction the most likely scenario.”

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Health/Medicine; History
KEYWORDS: california; hignspeedfail; intentional; rats; rodents

[kawhill]

“Gerbil”
Song by Stephen Lynch. That’s a big gerbil.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’re having Himalayan Nutria for supper...’cuz I found him-a-layin’ in the road! ;)

[V_TWIN]

Having been an invasive species in Louisiana for quite awhile now, there is no bag limit on them there.

They may be hunted with very few regulations controlling it and also may be hunted at night.

As a matter of fact Louisiana will pay $6 for every nutria tail turned in.

[AZJeep]

It is invasive specie, brough in from South America.
Originally was farmed for fur. Apparently it tastes well too.

[SpaceBar]

Alligator hunting once became so out of hand in Louisiana that the alligator
population dropped, the nutria population exploded, and they ate so much of
the plant life that the Louisiana coastline started to erode too quickly. So in
order to save Louisiana from sinking they created alligator farms to release
them into the wild.

[3RIVRS]

In a state as big as CA there is no way the entire population was “wiped out.”

[OldHarbor]

Here in Virginia Beach , the nutria were wiped out about 15 years ago.
Haven’t seen the rats since . At one point they were everywhere where there was a water source , pond, ditch or canal .

[MCF]

“The uniparty mascot should be half rat and half weasel.”
I like that! We could call them ratsels.

[MCF]

“The uniparty mascot should be half rat and half weasel.”
I like that! We could call them ratsels.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I remember 68 years ago when the “Raising Nutria for fur” in your garage was popularized on TV.
Like so many “get rich quick” schemes it was a scam. When the scam collapsed the people simply released the nutria in the wild.

[BradyLS]

🍺 Salud!

[packagingguy]

I think it tastes like squirrel because I suspect we ate some at a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta years ago.

Tough and stringy like overcooked chicken.

[OldHarbor]

About 40 years ago I worked with a Cajun. One day I was going down the freeway I see his car pulled over on the side of the road. I stop thinking he might need assistance .

No, he was just checking his nutria traps. He would sell the fur to interests from NYC.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yes, they make great fur coats.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

A Beer Marinade helps tenderize any type of roadkill you happen to come across. ;)

Beer Marinade

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beer-marinade-recipe-1970392

Best Christmas Ever? The year Grandpa got a fresh-cut Christmas Tree that had fallen off a truck, and he also found a very-recently road-killed Pheasant that was in perfect shape! We lived like KINGS that Christmas.

God Bless Us, Every One! :)

[grey_whiskers]

Nutria sounds like an artificial sweetener.

[DoodleBob]

Skinner: Well, I was wrong. The lizards are a godsend.
Lisa: But isn't that a bit short-sighted? What happens when we're overrun by lizards?
Skinner: No problem. We simply release wave after wave of Chinese needle snakes. They'll wipe out the lizards.
Lisa: But aren't the snakes even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we're prepared for that. We've lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on snake meat.
Lisa: But then we're stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that's the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

[Mathews]

I was stationed in Guantanamo for a bit. Before anyone outside the military had even heard of it, and down there these little guys are called “Banna Rats.” Word had it the Cubans loved to eat these guys.

[stars & stripes forever]

Nutrias make wonderful fur coats. That would keep the population down. Wait...

California doesn’t do fur.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

It’s called a Democrat.