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

[Bon of Babble]

Seems like someone could start up a business with exporting the meat to South America where they eat such fare...

But, knowing California, they’ll soon be on the “protected species” list next to bald eagles with a $100k fine for harming them or their environment.

[PghBaldy]

At least Phil has a job!

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

NO WALLS!

LET THEM BE FREE! OVERFEED THEM.

[Mastador1]

Now do all the college and University towns and cities in Texas.

[PeterPrinciple]

“Someone may have thought they could be an effective natural way to manage aquatic vegetation on their private property,” Buchalski added. “Also, some people just really like nutria… Or it could have been malicious in hopes that they would cause environmental damage. It’s hard to know.”

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I remember being in Africa, and suddenly a native runs, grabs an augutti by the tail and starts swinging in a circle to keep from biting........................supper.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

[BradyLS]

Dallas and Forth Worth are the only cities in Texas with populations over 200,000 with Republican mayors.

Bryan-College Station (Texas A&M), Round Rock, and Georgetown (both University of Texas extensions) have right-leaning city administrations.

Yes, a most big cities and college towns here are definitely deluged with demonrats!

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I know a guy named Bob Sacamano who sells high-quality nutria fur hats.

[rlmorel]

LOL, for some reason that made me think of this:

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We filled round what was called the backtown for a bit, scaring old vecks and cheenas that were crossing the roads and zigzagging after cats and that.

Then we took the road west There wasn't much traffic about, so I kept pushing the old noga through the floorboards near, and the Durango 95 ate up the road like spaghetti.

Soon it was winter trees and dark, my brothers, with a country dark, and at one place I ran over something big with a snarling toothy rot in the headlamps, then it screamed and squelched under and old Dim at the back near laughed his gulliver off- ‘Ho ho ho' -at that.

Then we saw one young malchick with his sharp, lubbilubbing under a tree, so we stopped and cheered at them, then we bashed into them bo^ with a couple of half-hearted tolchocks, making them cry, and on we went...

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This was the car they stole and were driving:

[FlingWingFlyer]

Well look at the number of illegal aliens living there. California has always been the Rodent state. The RAT party is the only government they have there. A single party RAT farm.

[SIDENET]

Look like a groundhog or a woodchuck..

I wonder if it could chuck wood.

And if so, then how much?

[HartleyMBaldwin]

How many newts could a nutria tree if a nutria could tree newts?

[thinden]

They make good sausage.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

good in gumbo?

[Organic Panic]

Bring back sea monkeys!

[SIDENET]

[ViLaLuz]

Oh yes. We love our gumbo.

[Clay Moore]

I learned something about nutria back when I was a teen. If you’re out bowfishing and you see a nutria, don’t stick it with your only fishing arrow because if you don’t kill it, it’s really mad. If you have no other means of killing it, you might not get your arrow back.

And it’s got big pointy teeth.

As I side note, I sold my first airboat to some Cajuns who were killing/trapping nutria and selling them to a dog food processor. They were bringing in hundreds of pounds per night.

Nutria a quite destructive.