Mammals - invasive

Nutria (Myocastor coypus) on Jan 22, 2023

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

2 nutria at Browns Ferry Park.
6-8 seen at the wetland nearish to the USPS off of Nyberg Rd. One stayed on the bank next to the fence while I walked by with my 75 lb dog that was barking like a killer on the sidewalk. It didn't have a care in the world and kept eating plants.

Commentary

Hello and thank you for your report! Nutria are common throughout the Willamette Valley, so reporting them here isn't necessary. If you come across them east of the Cascades we'd like to know as that would be notable as they are much less common there. The OR Dept of Fish and Wildlife has resources on living with nutria here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/wildlife/living_with/nutria.asp. There's also a good Oregon Sea Grant guide: https://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sites/seagrant.oregonstate.edu/files/nutria-species-guide.pdf.
Regards,
Lindsey

Lindsey Wise
May 10, 2023, 2:34 a.m.