More than 7,000 invasive South American rodents known as nutria have been removed from California since 2017, according to California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The removal is part of the state’s effort to stop nutria from becoming permanently established and damaging wetlands, farms and flood-control systems.
Considered to have been eradicated from California since the 1970s, nutria came under the wildlife department’s radar in 2017 when they found a breeding population in Merced County.
The discovery prompted a quick response from wildlife authorities across several counties in the state. Since then, Merced County has recorded the highest number of nutria removals. Authorities there took 3,194 nutria as of April 2026. Fresno followed Merced County with 2,080 removals. Solano saw 1,133 removals while Stanislaus had 1,005 removals of the invasive rodents.
According to CDFW, more than 2,000 nutria were removed in 2025 alone. The department describes the rodent as one of the “most destructive invasive species affecting wetland systems.”
However, a new genomic study conducted by the CDFW’s Wildlife Genetics Research Unit gives more perspective to the current invasion. Researchers found that California’s current nutria invasion likely came from a population in central Oregon instead of being remnants of the population that was removed several decades ago.
The findings showed that the current invasion could have started through a separate reintroduction.
What Are Nutria?
Nutria are large semi-aquatic rodents that are native to South America. Several decades ago, they were brought to the country for the fur trade.
These pesky rodents are typically mistaken for beavers or muskrats. However, the CDFW says nutria have several identifying features.
Adult nutria have coarse brown fur and can weigh up to 20 pounds or more. They have large orange front teeth, white whiskers and long round tails. Unlike a beaver’s broad flat tail, a nutria’s tail is thin and rat-like.
They live in marshes, sloughs, canals and other wet areas and are known to feast on aquatic plants.
According to wildlife authorities, nutria can eat up to a quarter of their body weight every day. However, they tend to destroy much more vegetation than they eat by digging up roots and damaging marsh plants.
Why Nutria Are Considered a Serious Threat
The CDFW notes that the damage nutria causes goes beyond feeding. These rodents burrow into levees, canal banks and roads, which can weaken flood-control structures and increase erosion. Such burrows could threaten water delivery systems and aggravate flood risks, according to the department.
Nutria are also known to damage agricultural fields and wetlands that support birds, fish and other wildlife. They can reproduce quickly because of which officials say that even small populations can grow rapidly if not controlled on time.
Why It Matters In California
The threat of nutria’s spread remains a concern especially in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, which is one of California’s most important water and ecological systems. According to the wildlife department, nutria burrowing in Delta levees is likely to threaten farmland, wildlife habitat and water infrastructure.
California authorities have noted that if nutria become permanently established, the state could look at long-term ecological and financial consequences.
The current eradication campaign costs about $5 million a year, according to the state.
Eradication Campaign
The effort to remove nutria has grown into a large-scale eradication program that involves surveillance, trapping, and cooperation with private landowners. According to CDFW, authorities have checked more than 1.9 million acres.
More than 5,300 landowners have signed access agreements that covers more than 14,000 parcels so that wildlife crews can monitor and trap on private property. Apart from this, more than 14,000 camera stations have been installed, more than 20,000 trap sets have been used and more than 218,000 trap nights have been conducted.
Over 1,500 nutria detection sites have been identified by the department.
The department states that more than 10,000 fetal nutria have been removed from the population.
This would be considered the “PETA folks” friendly version I guess?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiCO60b4pWI
😻
Are the PETA folks out there pissed?
You definitely are.
Hardly. These invasive species need to be eradicated. PETA folks will probably have a fit as usual.
Again, why are you so obsessed with how others react to this? It’s not a major thing. Invasive species get culled all the time without this uproar or tantrum you seem to be eagerly awaiting so you can make some stupid comment as always.
Good luck waiting on that….
Basic worrying and crying when there is zero need to. Man up.
You misunderstand, as usual. I’m not saying you’re pissed about the animals, I’m saying you’re just pissed off about everything around you–all you do is show up and complain.
Who are “PETA folks” and why do you care?
Honestly, there are other invasive animals I’d like to see removed from our state: MAGAts.
Does anyone eat nutrias? Maybe some rodent burgers would be a nice addition to the grill this summer!
Actually, yes, they are considered to be quite tasty.
Sounds like a great idea then for a new street meat taco stand. Illicit Nutria Pastor!
Geez dude, don’t give Basic something else to complain about!