NEW MEMBER OFFER!

Get 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

LEARN MORE

GET MORE WITH OUTSIDE+

Enjoy 35% off GOES, your essential outdoor guide

UPGRADE TODAY

In Nutria Vs. California Battle, Nutria Has Upper Hand

Wildlife officials trying to eradicate the destructive invasive rodent are struggling to keep up.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Biologists were unpleasantly surprised to discover that nutria, an invasive aquatic rodent, had returned to California in 2017 after being eradicated decades before. Now they’re in a high-stakes battle to remove nutria from the state’s waterways: Left unchecked, nutria could destroy crops, damage wildlife habitat, and wreak major havoc on dikes and dams, compromising California’s water infrastructure. So far, the quick-to-reproduce nutria are spreading faster than biologists can handle.

Popular on Backpacker