Dangerous Rodent Spotted
It's called nutria and it is native to South America.
They look like a beaver, but they are much more dangerous.
The nutria is a rodent that lives in the water and feeds on the land. It stops nothing short of eating every kind of crop, plant, marsh or forest.
Bottom line: they are an enemy to the environment and a nightmare to farmers.
"They eat everything. They are hungry, they breed like gang busters and they eat everything!" said farmer Brian Olson.
The nutria can breed five litters a year, with up to 12 young per litter. Their multiplying numbers can destroy farmland land quickly. They can also flood farmland because they burrow holes into dikes as dens.
"I think most people in this area know the problems we have with annual flooding and what that would mean if the dikes were destabilized by that rodent," said Mike Davison, a wildlife biologist.
There has been one sighting and two captures of nutria rodents in Skagit County in the last six weeks.
The Department of Wildlife is setting traps at a swan reserve where they were first spotted. But no one knows how the species got here.
"The only real way they could have gotten here is if someone transported them here. So we are assuming this is an illegal introduction," said Davison.
Nutria have shown up in Washington before, but they were 150 miles away from Skagit County.
The Department of Wildlife is asking the public to call if they see one.
They look different than a beaver because they have round tales instead of flat ones. Nutria also have visible orange teeth.
Farmers hope the Department of Wildlife can stop the nutria before it stops them.
"They create a big problem for us. And the important thing is to recognize the problem and take care of it, period," said Olson.
Nutria were first brought to the U.S. in the 1930's and used for their fur.
Wildlife agents hope the traps will give them an idea of how big the population may be in the Skagit Valley. Then they will look at ways to get rid of them.
To report a nutria call (360) 466-4345 ext. 266.