Coypu
Myocastor coypus
- Class
- Mammal
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 26,611
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The nutria or coypu is an herbivorous, semiaquatic rodent from South America. Classified for a long time as the only member of the family Myocastoridae, Myocastor has since been included within Echimyidae, the family of the spiny rats. The nutria lives in burrows alongside stretches of water and feeds on river plant stems.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “Nutria”.