Invasive Nutria Spotted in Illinois, Raising Wetland Concerns

In Illinois we are used to certain water-friendly mammals like beavers, river otters, muskrats and mink. There is now a river rat that has made its way across the Ohio and Mississippi rivers into the Land of Lincoln that researchers and conservationists are concerned about because they are invasive and can damage wetlands and crops.

The four southernmost counties in Illinois have seen nutria activity in recent years. Alexander, Pope, Pulaski, and Massac counties have all reported sightings, although nests and burrows have not been found yet. There have been reports of sightings as far north as Joliet and Elmhurst over the last couple years.

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Nutria are a little smaller than beavers, but are often mistaken for them. Beavers have flat tails, while Nutria have rat-like tails. They both have big front teeth that are orange.

It's easy to see how these two could be confused for each other

Native to South America, Nutria have been making their way north from the southern United States for years. They have paralleled the northern trek of armadillo into the Midwest in recent years. The State of Illinois considers Nutria a nuisance, so they can be killed and removed, no questions asked. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources would like to know about it if you do, just to keep track of the activity in the state.