Submitter does not have a specimen
This wetlands area has a lot of aquatic birds and mammals including river otters. However, I spotted a nutria swimming in the pond and confirmed it was a nutria when it crawled out of the water onto one of the islands. It matched a textbook picture: Beaver like head with rat like tail.
If you would like more information on nutria, please visit the nutria page on the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs website at http://www.clr.pdx.edu/projects/ans/nutria.php. My contact information can also be found on this page if you have further questions.
Trevor Sheffels
Center for Lakes and Reservoirs
Portland State University
Trevor Sheffels
June 9, 2008, 2:18 a.m.