It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is highlighting an animal that’s causing major erosion to the banks of ditches, lakes, and other water bodies.

A nutria is a large, semi-aquatic rodent native that is approximately 2 feet long. Its features include a large head, short legs, and a stout body that appears hump-backed on land. Their fur is ...

Strolling atop levees at Grizzly Ranch in the Suisun Marsh, south of Fairfield, wildlife biologist Robert Eddings stops in front of a brackish pond. Unlike most of the surrounding wetland, this pond ...

Hollywood would have difficulty inventing a rodent as scary as the South American swamp beast that has gained a toehold in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Imagine a rat-looking creature weighing ...

A new source of sustenance has been added to people's diets in certain regions of the U.S. Wildlife agencies are urging locals to eat an invasive rodent wreaking havoc on the surrounding ecosystem in ...

The nutria rodent has become a migrating problem in the Central Valley, including sensitive wetlands in Solano County. That could be a significant threat to local agriculture. A large, fast-breeding ...

Q. What are nutria, and why are they now considered a pest? Nutria (or coypu) are like gophers on steroids. Related Articles How to use (and not use) plant identification phone apps Want to attract ...

Q. What are nutria, and why are they now considered a pest? Nutria (or coypu) are like gophers on steroids. Since they live near water, they are often mistaken for beavers or muskrats. There are some ...

Nutria, like those seen in this file photo, are considered invasive in the U.S. Here’s what to do if you see one in southern Illinois. Amanda McCoy amccoy@star-telegram.com Southern Illinois has seen ...