Nutria, also known as coypu, are present in Florida, though their populations are localized rather than widespread. These large, semi-aquatic rodents are considered an invasive species in the state, posing various concerns due to their potential for environmental damage. Their presence highlights a continuing challenge for Florida’s ecosystems and infrastructure.
Identifying Nutria
Nutria are substantial rodents, weighing between 12 and 20 pounds and reaching lengths of up to two feet, excluding their tails. Their bodies are covered in dense, gray underfur overlaid with dark brown to yellowish-brown guard hairs, giving them a somewhat hunched appearance on land. A distinguishing feature is their prominent orange incisors, which are often visible.
Their tails are long, round, and sparsely furred, ranging from 13 to 16 inches, which helps differentiate them from beavers with their flat tails and muskrats with laterally compressed tails. Nutria also possess webbed hind feet and high-set eyes, ears, and nostrils, adaptations that allow them to swim and forage effectively in aquatic environments. They are found near water bodies like farm ponds, drainage canals, and various wetlands.
Nutria Presence and Distribution in Florida
Nutria are not native to Florida, having been introduced to the United States primarily for the fur trade, with some escaping or being released when the market declined in the 1940s. Records indicate releases in Florida as far back as 1955, with sightings in areas like Pensacola in 1956. While they are established in many states, their occurrence in Florida has been spotty.
Current populations in Florida are concentrated in specific areas such as Jacksonville, with additional sightings reported in Tampa, Pensacola, and West Palm Beach. Duval County, particularly in retention ponds, has a high number of nutria.
Ecological and Economic Impacts
Nutria feeding habits and burrowing activities pose threats to Florida’s natural resources and infrastructure. They consume large quantities of wetland vegetation, preferring the base of plants, and can eat up to 25% of their body weight daily. This destructive foraging, which includes eating roots and rhizomes, can lead to marsh erosion and habitat degradation for native wildlife.
Beyond natural habitats, nutria also cause agricultural damage to crops such as sugarcane, rice, corn, and peanuts. Their extensive burrow systems, which can extend up to 150 feet, undermine levees, dams, and roadbeds, potentially weakening foundations and causing structural collapse. Additionally, nutria can carry pathogens and parasites like tuberculosis, septicemia, and blood flukes, which could pose health risks to humans, livestock, and pets.
Management and Control Efforts
State agencies actively monitor and manage nutria populations in Florida to prevent widespread establishment. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) lists nutria as a conditional species, requiring permits for possession or import. The FWC’s fur-bearer trapping regulations allow year-round nutria trapping statewide with no bag limits.
Control methods include trapping, using live traps baited with carrots or apples. The FWC also authorizes landowners or those with written permission to take nutria with a gun and light at night. Public reporting of nutria sightings is important for early detection and rapid response efforts, with resources like the free IveGot1 mobile app and IveGot1.org available for submitting information. Preventing widespread establishment through these efforts remains a primary goal for managing this invasive species.