![]() ![]() Brianna Armstrong from Firehouse Animal Health Center in Austin. Nutria can also be territorial and sometimes will lash out and become aggressive, according to Dr. And, to top all of that, we create human health problems by passing along a parasite causing 'nutria itch'. DESCRIPTION: Brown rodent, 35.56 cm (14 inches) long from nose to base of tail. The department says that population control is difficult because nutria have high reproduction rates. Carries a parasite that causes marsh itch in people. Nutria are currently found in at least 20 states, though they’re most abundant in the Gulf Coast states, according to the USDA. In its webpage concerning “Texas’ most unwanted plants and animals,” the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) said nutria eat aquatic vegetation and burrow, “which can lead to erosion and damage roads.” Excluding their tail lengths, Nutria's average height is 24 inches (2 ft) and they can vary in weight between 12- 20 pounds. They have short legs, arched bodies and long tails that range between 13- 16 inches (1- 1.3 ft). The yellowish or reddish brown coat contains coarse guard hairs overlying soft, dense underfur. It can weigh up to 17 kg (37.5 pounds), although 5 to 10 kg is usual the body measures up to 70 cm (27.6 inches) long and the tail up to 45 cm. While the rodents - which also visibly resemble South American capybaras - can benefit certain environments by eating weeds and other invasive plants, they can also cause significant damage to their habitats. Description Nutria are large, semi-aquatic rodents not native to Florida. The nutria has a robust body, short limbs, small eyes and ears, long whiskers, and a cylindrical, scaly tail. When demand for nutria fur halted, the animals were released into the wild, according to the USDA. Often compared to beavers, the animals originated in South America and were brought to the U.S. Department of Agriculture explains, nutria are a species of common invasive semi-aquatic rodents. ![]()
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