| Show L 9 It 1 a By Ted Resting Kesting g 1 I r In the a little South American rodent called the nutria was imported to this country for experimental fur farming They did not do well in captivity up- up keey eventually began to exceed their sales value So in 1940 about 40 pairs were set free in the Louis- Louis jano marshes where they were e joined by others which idL If 11 ever im grants ra ts t took 00 k k kindly In dl Y to a new country it t is S the nutria They have flourished and l d now dve in Louisiana Texas Texas- an and Washington where wherte discouraged fur farmers farmer al also o freed them Maryland Maryland Mary Mary- land recently th them m in an n experiment They are in New r xico x- x aco ico and Alabama A Afew Afew Afew few pioneers have even gotten as asfar asfar asfar far as Michigan Ohio Iowa and western Canada Some consider then a aless aless aless less than perfect acqui acquisition for bur wildlife world because like the muskrat they dig into irrigation canals small dams and md levees Corn vegetables rice and alfalfa are occasionally occasionally occasionally oc oc- oc- oc raided However Fish and Service spec say that the price paid on OIt the market market market mar mar- ket for pelts pelts to each leach will will automatically keep the nutria nutria nutria nut nut- ria population in full check To keep them under control though will take a lot of trapping according to Outdoor Writer Will Vill Barker A nutria has two or three litters a year and the yong before 12 months months' are out produce families families families famil famil- ies of their own This rapid reproduction reproduction reproduction re re- re- re production has made it possible for the annual catch to grow from taken in the 44 1943 season to between and in the I open ope s season ason of f 1950 Its It's easy to see sae why Louisiana conservation of- of I als estimate sti t t that t f m in about ten year t the e nutria m day y be worth 15 million a. a i Y year ear tg to that states state's fur fury fur tr trappers II I i Although primarily trapped tr fori 1011 their fur fur nutrias can be neaten eaten Properly prepared the pink meat I Ihas ihas has a pleasing flavor It is served served- in restaurants in South America R Relatively elat ely little is known about abour Ut I I their living habits But it has has' b been It discovered that the nutria a occupies occupies oc oc- QC-I QC a habitat niche nUt n t Used use fi by other animals It prefers de deeper pcr fresher water th than n tho the muskrat I I. I and eats the co coarser rs marsh vegetation vegetation n I tion passed up by other marsh dwellers EV Even n in well-stoked well waters waters waters wat wat- ers the e nutria has never been seen I Ito 1 to e eat et t fish ish nor has it shown any I inclination on to cat eat the eggs of water waterfowl waterfowl I fowl nesting in the same area |
