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Home | Animal Damage | Aquatic Rodent Damage Aquatic Rodent Damage
Beavers, muskrats and nutriaBeavers, muskrats and nutria differ in size and many behaviors, but all are semi-aquatic rodents. Beavers are the largest rodents in North America. Nutria are native to South America but are now widespread in southern and eastern parts of the United States. All 3 species have value as furbearers and can have positive effects on the environment. 
However, all 3 can also cause substantial economic losses. Burrowing by nutria, muskrats or beavers undermines bridges and walkways, levees, pond banks, reservoirs, roadbeds, earthen dams, and other structures. Alternatively, beaver dams may plug other dams, drainage ditches, culverts or drain pipes, or flood roads and walkways, making them impassable. Beaver flooding also can impact timber production in the southern United States by damaging trees. Nutria and beavers cut and girdle trees, and beavers may fell them altogether. Nutria can cause permanent damage to marshes and other wetlands by feeding on native plants that hold the wetland together. They have contributed to the loss of coastal marshes in the eastern United States. Nutria dig up lawns and golf courses to feed on roots and shoots of grasses and graze on grain crops, vegetable crops and ornamental plants. They can greatly damage sugarcane and rice fields in the gulf states. Beavers feed on sorghum, corn, soybeans and other crops adjacent to streams and ponds. Beaver Linkshttp://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/wildlife/420-202/420-202.html Muskrat Linkshttp://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/miscpubs/mx0136.htm Nutria Linkshttp://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_wsnutria.html |
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Content: Laurie Paulik Last updated:
02/05/08 |
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